Current:Home > ContactUS Congress hopes to 'pull back the curtain' on UFOs in latest hearing: How to watch -DollarDynamic
US Congress hopes to 'pull back the curtain' on UFOs in latest hearing: How to watch
View
Date:2025-04-17 09:14:40
Congress is prepared to revisit the topic of UFOs once again in a Wednesday hearing that will be open to the public.
More than a year has passed since U.S. House members last heard testimony about strange craft whizzing through the nation's airspace unchecked, as well as claims about the Pentagon's reticence to divulge much of what it knows. While steps have been made toward transparency, some elected leaders say progress has been stymied by the Department of Defense's reluctance to declassify material on UFOs, which the government now refers to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP.)
The upcoming hearing is being jointly held by Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) and Glenn Grothman (R-Wisconsin,) who was a sponsor behind a bipartisan bill to allow commercial airline pilots to report UAP sightings to the government.
In a press release on the House Oversight Committee's website, the hearing is described as an "attempt to further pull back the curtain on secret UAP research programs conducted by the U.S. government, and undisclosed findings they have yielded."
"The American people are tired of the obfuscation and refusal to release information by the federal government," Mace and Grothman said in a joint statement. "Americans deserve to understand what the government has learned about UAP sightings, and the nature of any potential threats these phenomena pose."
Congress is revisiting UFOs:Here's what's happened since last hearing on extraterrestrials
When is the UFO hearing?
The hearing will take place at 11:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.
How to watch Congress discuss UFOs
The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed on the House Oversight Committee's website.
Watch the hearing below:
Who are the witnesses testifying?
Four witnesses are expected to offer testimony Wednesday. They include:
- Timothy Gallaudet, an American oceanographer and retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy who is now the CEO of Ocean STL Consulting;
- Luis Elizondo, a former military intelligence official who resigned and went public in October 2017 after 10 years of running a Pentagon program to investigate UFO sightings;
- Michael Gold, a former NASA associate administrator of space policy and partnerships who is part of an independent NASA UAP study team;
- Michael Shellenberger, journalist and president of the Breakthrough Institute.
What happened after Congress' last UFO hearing?
Congressional leaders last heard testimony in July 2023 about unidentified craft flying through U.S. air space in ways military witnesses believed were beyond human technology.
Former Pentagon intelligence official David Grusch also offered sensational testimony about an alleged shadowy "multi-decade" Pentagon program to retrieve and study not only downed spacecraft, but extraterrestrial pilots. Without offering hard evidence, Grusch accused the Pentagon under oath of being aware of extraterrestrial activity since the 1930s and hiding the program from Congress while misappropriating funds to operate it.
While the Pentagon has denied the assertion, its office to investigate UFOs revealed a new website last September in the wake of the hearing where the public can access declassified information about reported sightings.
Later that same month, NASA releasing a long-awaited UFO report declaring that no evidence existed to confirm the extraterrestrial origins of unidentified craft. However, as what Administrator Bill Nelson said was a signal of the agency's transparency, NASA appointed a director of UAP research.
In that time, the hearing has fueled a wave of docuseries, opportunistic marketing campaigns and speculation about UFOs, reigniting a pop culture obsession that first came to focus after the infamous 1947 Roswell incident.
Amid the heightened public interest, legislation has also been targeted at UAP transparency, with one seeking to create a civilian reporting mechanism, and one directing the executive branch to declassify certain records.
Are there really UFOs? Sign up for USA TODAY's Checking the Facts newsletter.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
veryGood! (58)
Related
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Want Thicker, Fuller Hair? These Are the Top Hair Growth Treatments, According to an Expert
- NFL cuts 2024: Recapping major moves on Tuesday's roster cutdown day
- Michael Crichton estate sues Warner Bros., claims new show 'The Pitt' is an 'ER' ripoff
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- First look at new Netflix series on the Menendez brothers: See trailer, release date, cast
- Surging Methane Emissions Could Be a Sign of a Major Climate Shift
- Family of Grand Canyon flash flood victim raises funds for search team: 'Profoundly grateful'
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- At 68, she wanted to have a bat mitzvah. Then her son made a film about it.
Ranking
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Found Art
- Museum opens honoring memory of Juan Gabriel, icon of Latin music
- Children's book ignites car seat in North Carolina family's minivan minutes after parking
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Investment group buying Red Lobster names former PF Chang's executive as next CEO
- Killings of invasive owls to ramp up on US West Coast in a bid to save native birds
- San Diego police identify the officer killed in a collision with a speeding vehicle
Recommendation
Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
New Jersey man drowns while rescuing 2 of his children in Delaware River
What is a returnship and how can it help me reenter the workforce? Ask HR
BaubleBar Labor Day Blowout Sale: Save 80% With $8 Zodiac Jewelry, $10 Necklaces, $15 Disney Deals & More
Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
Teen who nearly drowned in Texas lake thanks friend who died trying to rescue her: Report
The Paralympic Games are starting. Here’s what to expect as 4,400 athletes compete in Paris
'Heinous, atrocious and cruel': Man gets death penalty in random killings of Florida woman