US Congress To Hold First Public Hearing On UFOs in 50 Years. Here's Why

A US House committee is set to hold an open congressional hearing on Tuesday, May 17, about unidentified flying objects (UFOs) for the first time in over 50 years. According to CNN, the House Intelligence Committee's subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence and Counterproliferation will hold the public hearing in order to shed some light on UFOs - more formally known as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). 

Indiana Representative Andre Carson will be chairing the hearing. Taking to Twitter, Mr Carson informed that Congress hasn't held a public hearing on UFOs in over 50 years. “That will change next week when I lead a hearing in House Intelligence on this topic and the national security risk it poses. Americans need to know more about these unexplained occurrences,” he added. 

Congress hasn't held a public hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena (UFO's) in over 50 years. That will change next week when I lead a hearing in @HouseIntel on this topic & the national security risk it poses. Americans need to know more about these unexplained occurrences.

— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) May 10, 2022

CNN reported that US Undersecretary of Defence for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie and Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray will be speaking at the congressional hearing. The public hearing will then be followed by a closed, classified hearing on the Pentagon program, known as the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronisation Group. 

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According to the report, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has stated that Tuesday's hearing would give the public an opportunity to hear directly from subject matter experts and leaders in the Intelligence Community on “one of the greatest mysteries of our time”. It would also break the cycle of excessive secrecy and speculation with truth and transparency, Mr Schiff added. 

The hearing will stream live starting at 9 am EST (6:30 pm IST) on May 17. After the public portion airs, the subcommittee will hold a closed, classified briefing. Here's how you can watch the live-stream:

Notably, according to CNET, the upcoming session comes amid a time when there has been a new push to share government information on UFOs. Last year, the US intelligence community released a preliminary assessment on 144 reports of “unidentified aerial phenomena” since 2004 - and could explain only one. In 2021, Pentagon also issued a separate report highlighting how UAPs may threaten flight safety. 

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Now, while closed-door briefings on the Pentagon's progress in carrying out the legislation have begun in recent weeks, the upcoming session on Tuesday will mark the first time Congress has convened a public hearing on the issue since the Air Force oversaw an inconclusive UFO investigation called Project Blue Book that concluded in 1969.