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The “Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025,” bill S.4443 from the Senate, has advanced unanimously out of committee and the full text is available on CONGRESS.GOV.
The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 contains topics directly referencing UAP disclosure in the following sections:
TITLE X—UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA Sec. 1001. Comptroller General of the United States review of All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office. Sec. 1002. Sunset of requirements relating to audits of unidentified anomalous phenomena historical record report. Sec. 1003. Funding limitations relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena.
There are three big ticket items related to UAP disclosure in this legislation:
The proposed legislation demands an audit of AARO. “A review of the implementation by the Office of the duties and requirements of the Office under section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (50 U.S.C. 3373), such as the process for operational unidentified anomalous phenomena reporting and coordination with the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and other departments and agencies of the Federal Government and non-Government entities.” It cuts off funding to SAPs, CAPs, and any other type of restricted access program that is not reporting properly to congress. “None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended in support of any activity involving unidentified anomalous phenomena protected under any form of special access or restricted access limitation unless the Director of National Intelligence has provided the details of the activity to the appropriate committees of Congress and congressional leadership.” It cuts off funding to IRADs, which came up in the Grusch hearing, unless they report to Congress. “Limitation Regarding Independent Research And Development.—Independent research and development funding relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena shall not be allowable as indirect expenses for purposes of contracts covered by such instruction, unless such material and information is made available to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership.”
SEC. 1001. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES REVIEW OF ALL-DOMAIN ANOMALY RESOLUTION OFFICE.
(a) Definitions.—In this section, the terms “congressional defense committees”, “congressional leadership”, and “unidentified anomalous phenomena” have the meanings given such terms in section 1683(n) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (50 U.S.C. 3373(n)).
(b) Review Required.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (in this section referred to as the “Office”).
(c) Elements.—The review conducted pursuant to subsection (b) shall include the following:
(1) A review of the implementation by the Office of the duties and requirements of the Office under section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (50 U.S.C. 3373), such as the process for operational unidentified anomalous phenomena reporting and coordination with the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and other departments and agencies of the Federal Government and non-Government entities.
(2) A review of such other matters relating to the activities of the Office that pertain to unidentified anomalous phenomena as the Comptroller General considers appropriate.
(d) Report.—Following the review required by subsection (b), in a timeframe mutually agreed upon by the congressional intelligence committees, the congressional defense committees, congressional leadership, and the Comptroller General, the Comptroller General shall submit to such committees and congressional leadership a report on the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the review conducted under subsection (b).
and then…
SEC. 1002. SUNSET OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO AUDITS OF UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA HISTORICAL RECORD REPORT.
Section 6001 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (50 U.S.C. 3373 note) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting “until April 1, 2025” after “quarterly basis”; and
(2) in subsection (c), by inserting “until June 30, 2025” after “semiannually thereafter”.
as well as…
SEC. 1003. FUNDING LIMITATIONS RELATING TO UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA.
(a) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.—The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—
(A) the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2) CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP.—The term “congressional leadership” means—
(A) the majority leader of the Senate;
(B) the minority leader of the Senate;
(C) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
(D) the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(3) UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA.—The term “unidentified anomalous phenomena” has the meaning given such term in section 1683(n) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (50 U.S.C. 3373(n)).
(b) Limitations.—None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended in support of any activity involving unidentified anomalous phenomena protected under any form of special access or restricted access limitation unless the Director of National Intelligence has provided the details of the activity to the appropriate committees of Congress and congressional leadership, including for any activities described in a report released by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office in fiscal year 2024.
(c) Limitation Regarding Independent Research And Development.—Independent research and development funding relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena shall not be allowable as indirect expenses for purposes of contracts covered by such instruction, unless such material and information is made available to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership.
Notably I was under the impression the “gang of 8” was supposed to be read into all of these programs, however, this act is calling out congressional leadership by the following definition: the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives. This seems like it would make it a “gang of 4” who would be read into these programs. Odd.
There’s also an entire section on improving protections for whistleblowers, which may or may not be related to UAP disclosure:
Sec. 801. Improvements regarding urgent concerns submitted to Inspectors General of the intelligence community. Sec. 802. Prohibition against disclosure of whistleblower identity as act of reprisal. Sec. 803. Protection for individuals making authorized disclosures to Inspectors General of elements of the intelligence community. Sec. 804. Clarification of authority of certain Inspectors General to receive protected disclosures. Sec. 805. Whistleblower protections relating to psychiatric testing or examination. Sec. 806. Establishing process parity for adverse security clearance and access determinations. Sec. 807. Elimination of cap on compensatory damages for retaliatory revocation of security clearances and access determinations.
Full text of the legislation is available on congress.gov at link here.
submitted by /u/showmeufos
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