U.S. Experts Testify Before Congress on Secret UFO Programs

In a rare joint hearing titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth,” members of the U.S. Congress recently convened to explore whether the government is hiding information about Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), also known as UFOs.

The hearing, led by the House Oversight Committee’s cybersecurity, IT, and innovation subcommittees, came as public and political pressure mounts for the government to address the increasing reports of unexplained aerial objects. While the Pentagon has consistently found no evidence of alien technology in UAPs, new witness testimonies point to a deeply classified and potentially wide-ranging investigation into these phenomena, reports NPR.

Explosive Testimonies from Four Key Experts

Four experts provided written and oral testimonies at Wednesday’s hearing, each stressing the need for greater transparency. Journalist Michael Shellenberger, author Luis Elizondo, former NASA administrator Michael Gold, and retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet offered distinct insights and called for an end to secrecy around the U.S. government’s UAP investigations.

Michael Shellenberger presented a 214-page document chronicling UAP incidents from 1947 to 2023 and cited sources alleging that the Department of Defense operates a covert project, code-named “Immaculate Constellation,” dedicated to tracking and studying UAPs. Shellenberger argued that secretive programs like this could erode public trust and demanded transparency legislation from Congress to provide clarity on UAPs.

Luis Elizondo, former head of the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, asserted that some UAPs are not of human origin and that governments worldwide are engaged in a high-stakes arms race to reverse-engineer these technologies. In his written testimony he writes:

“Let me be clear: UAP are real. … Advanced technologies not made by our Government — or any other government — are monitoring sensitive military installations around the globe. Furthermore, the U.S. is in possession of UAP technologies, as are some of our adversaries.”

When asked directly by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) if the U.S. is running secret crash retrieval programs designed to reverse-engineer alien craft, Elizondo responded, “Yes.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduction speech at the hearing. (YouTube screenshot)

Retired Admiral Tim Gallaudet recounted his personal experience with UAPs, referencing the “Go Fast” video, a 2015 Navy recording showing a fast-moving, unidentified object that displayed “flight characteristics unlike anything in our arsenal.” He further alleged that the video file mysteriously vanished from Navy accounts soon after it was shared.

Michael Gold, a former associate administrator at NASA, emphasized the need to normalize scientific inquiry around UAPs, lamenting the stigma attached to discussing such phenomena. He called for NASA to receive dedicated funding to develop new tools for examining UAPs, which could lead to groundbreaking discoveries.

The Daily Mail comments:

“It’s hard to imagine four people this different passionately agreeing on something as controversial and career-jeopardizing as a massive, government cover-up on UFOs — and yet they do.”

“Immaculate Constellation”: A Secret Program with Far-Reaching Implications?

Shellenberger’s testimony revealed that “Immaculate Constellation” allegedly utilizes advanced tools to capture high-quality imagery of UAPs and even coordinates with fighter jets like the F-22 to intercept these objects.

According to Shellenberger, a whistleblower report alleges that an F-22 was once surrounded by a group of UAPs that boxed in the jet, suggesting an organized response from the unidentified objects.

The entire report on ‘Immaculate Constellation’ – the allegedly illegal ‘Unacknowledged Special Access Program’ (USAP) about UFOs that was leaked to Shellenberger — has now been posted online. Shellenberger told his followers on X that the hearing’s co-lead, Rep Nancy Mace, was responsible for the decision to release this eleven-page document [PDF], reports the Daily Mail.

Shellenberger underscored the dangers of secrecy surrounding such incidents and argued that UAP transparency aligns with both national security interests and bipartisan values.

Congressional Pressure and the Push for UAP Transparency

Lawmakers, led by Rep. Nancy Mace, pressed for answers on secret UAP programs and crash retrieval efforts. Mace and other committee members questioned witnesses on the origins of these objects, asking if private companies, adversarial nations, or nonhuman intelligences were responsible. Elizondo hinted at a multifaceted answer, suggesting that some technologies might originate from private entities, while others could stem from extraterrestrial sources.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) also questioned Elizondo about the Defense Department’s handling of UAP data, underscoring concerns about a possible cover-up. Moskowitz drew a parallel to “Fight Club,” referencing its code of silence and secrecy, saying, “You can’t talk about Fight Club if there’s no Fight Club.” quotes NRP.

Elizondo affirmed that a substantial portion of UAP information remains classified and argued for controlled declassification to allow more robust scientific inquiry and public awareness.

Shifting Public and Institutional Attitudes Towards UAPs

The recent hearing reflects a growing shift within U.S. agencies and public institutions towards serious consideration of UAPs. In 2022, the Pentagon established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to centralize UAP reporting from the military and FAA. The creation of AARO follows historical efforts to study UAPs, including Project Blue Book, a 1947–1969 Air Force project that collected over 12,000 reports, many of which were later explained by conventional means, though 701 incidents remained unexplained.

With agencies such as NASA now directly addressing UAPs, the stigma surrounding the study of unexplained phenomena is slowly diminishing. Gold argued that government agencies require dedicated tools to properly study UAPs, moving beyond the limited use of cellphone videos and fighter jet gun cameras. He and other witnesses emphasized that more funding and open scientific research would help establish whether UAPs have terrestrial or extraterrestrial origins.

A Call for Greater Accountability

The hearing concluded with an appeal for accountability from the witnesses, who reiterated that the secrecy surrounding UAPs could be detrimental to national security, public trust, and scientific progress. Elizondo warned that if UAPs represent foreign adversarial technology, it would mark an intelligence oversight “eclipsing that of 9/11 by an order of magnitude.”

Public pressure and bipartisan support for transparency legislation on UAPs continue to grow. As Congress seeks answers, the recent testimonies have raised new questions about the nature of UAPs, whether they stem from human or extraterrestrial origins, and the true scope of the U.S. government’s investigations into these mysterious phenomena.

Top image: Mr Shellenberger holds up the whistleblower report at the UAP Congressional Hearing.    Source: YouTube Screenshot

By Gary Manners