UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 (Schumer-Rounds Amendment)
- Type: legal ruling (federal legislation)
- Author: Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), and bipartisan co-sponsors
- Date: 2023-07-14 (introduced); 2023-12-22 (enacted as part of NDAA 2024, signed by President Biden)
- Credibility: primary (federal law)
- URL: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670
What Was Proposed (Original 64-page Amendment)
The original Schumer-Rounds amendment was modeled on the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act. Key provisions:
- Directed the National Archives (NARA) to collect and disclose all government records on UAP no later than 25 years after enactment, with a “presumption of immediate disclosure.”
- The President could certify continued postponement only if an identifiable harm to military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or foreign relations existed.
- The federal government would exercise eminent domain over “recovered technologies of unknown origin” (TUO) and “biological evidence of non-human intelligence” (NHI) that may be controlled by private persons or entities, such as aerospace companies.
- Created a presidentially appointed review board to oversee disclosure.
The eminent domain provision was the most remarkable. The Senate Majority Leader co-sponsored legislation that explicitly assumed the possible existence of recovered non-human technology held by private companies. The language was carefully drafted: it did not assert these things existed, but it created a legal framework to recover them if they did.
Why it was drafted this way: sponsors argued that UAP records had not been subject to mandatory declassification review due to exemptions under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and “an over-broad interpretation of transclassified foreign nuclear information.”
What Survived (NDAA 2024, Sections 1841 et seq.)
The version enacted was, according to The Guardian, “a heavily watered down version.” What was stripped:
- The eminent domain provision (the most aggressive element) was removed.
- The presidential review board was removed.
- The 25-year mandatory disclosure timeline was removed.
What remained:
- Sections 1841-1843: NARA must establish an “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection.” Federal agencies must identify, review, and transmit relevant UAP records.
- Section 1687: Prohibits use of funds for UAP-related activities unless information is made available to appropriate congressional committees.
- Section 7343: Prohibits independent research and development (IRAD) indirect expenses for UAP unless disclosed to Congress.
Schumer’s Public Statement
From the official Senate Democratic Caucus press release (July 14, 2023): “Schumer, Rounds Introduce New Legislation To Declassify Government Records Related To Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena & UFOs, Modeled After JFK Assassination Records Collection Act, As An Amendment To NDAA.”
Why This Matters
The bipartisan nature is significant. Schumer (Democrat, Senate Majority Leader) and Rounds (Republican, South Dakota) co-sponsored. This was not a fringe effort; it had the backing of the most powerful Democrat in the Senate.
The legislation’s language presupposes the possible existence of:
- Government records on UAP that are being withheld
- “Technologies of unknown origin” in private hands
- “Biological evidence of non-human intelligence”
Members of Congress do not typically write legislation around hypotheticals this specific unless they believe (rightly or wrongly) that there is substance behind the claims.
The stripping of the eminent domain provision during conference committee suggests lobbying by defense contractors or intelligence agencies against disclosure, though the details of this lobbying are not public.