(NewsNation) — Key pieces of legislation that would publicly disclose what the government knows about UFOs are being debated, but a group of lawmakers say there is a pressure campaign by the intelligence community to block the bills.
The House “UAP caucus” is fighting for full disclosure, and on Thursday, it brought to light its fight and frustration about the lack of transparency.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., is one of those lawmakers.
“I just want transparency. Just take the covers off. Let me see it. I’m an American, I can handle it,” Burchett said Thursday on “CUOMO.” “I just feel like we got to have transparency.”
Burchett is one of the loudest voices on the topic and said at a news conference earlier Thursday that the defense and intelligence communities have stymied congressional efforts to provide more transparency on UAPs.
While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer offered an amendment to the annual Defense Department authorization bill to require the public disclosure of UFO records, Burchett believes it’s flawed in that it would establish an unelected board to oversee and review materials.
“Where are they from? They’re from the freaking defense industry,” Burchett said of the potential board members. “Whatever they have, they’re gonna be the ones that decide if we get to see it or not, so to me, that creates a whole new problem.”
The subject of UAPs garnered attention after whistleblower David Grusch said the Pentagon was operating a secret UAP retrieval program. Grusch told NewsNation the program was operated without the oversight of Congress and that he believes the U.S. has recovered spacecraft and possibly even bodies of extraterrestrial origin.
Grusch’s claims sparked a congressional hearing where he and other witnesses spoke on the subject. However, Grusch declined to answer several questions in an open setting and has yet to brief lawmakers in a SCIF, a secure area used to discuss national security matters.
NewsNation digital producer Stephanie Whiteside contributed to this report.