House approves Burlison amendment creating framework for UAP records disclosure

The U.S. House has approved an amendment from Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., that would establish a formal process for preserving, reviewing and publicly releasing government records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly known as UAPs or UFOs, if it ultimately becomes law.

The amendment was adopted as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense policy bill that now moves to the Senate for consideration. The measure does not become law unless it survives the Senate process and is included in the final version of the defense bill signed by the president.

Burlison's proposal, titled the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, would require federal agencies to identify, preserve and transfer covered UAP records to a permanent collection at the National Archives under a statutory timeline. It also would establish an independent UAP Records Review Board, whose members would require Senate confirmation and would have subpoena authority to obtain records and testimony while determining what information should be publicly released or remain classified under standards established by law. The disclosure requirements would also extend to certain government contractors that possess covered records.

"The government belongs to the American people," Burlison said in a statement. "For too long, UAP records have remained scattered across agencies and outside meaningful oversight. This amendment would create an independent review process to preserve those records, review them, and make them available to the public pursuant to law."

According to Burlison's office, the legislation is intended to reinforce President Donald Trump's Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE, by creating statutory procedures for disclosure rather than relying solely on executive branch policies.

The proposal follows years of increasing congressional interest in UAPs. Congress has held multiple public hearings on the topic since 2022, and lawmakers from both parties have called for greater transparency regarding military encounters with unexplained aerial objects and the government's handling of related records. In recent years, the Department of Defense has expanded its investigations through the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, which reviews reports of unidentified objects observed in the air, space, underwater and other domains.

Burlison has been one of Congress' most outspoken advocates for increased UAP transparency. He has participated in hearings, questioned defense officials and repeatedly pushed for broader public access to government records. A similar amendment he introduced during consideration of the Fiscal Year 2026 defense bill was not allowed to advance to a House floor vote. This year's proposal cleared that hurdle by being adopted as part of the House's defense legislation.

The House-approved amendment does not make any determination about the origin of UAPs or validate claims of extraterrestrial life. Instead, it establishes a legal framework for collecting, reviewing and, when appropriate, publicly releasing government records while allowing sensitive information to remain classified if necessary for national security or other legal protections.

The Senate is expected to consider its own version of the National Defense Authorization Act before lawmakers negotiate a final compromise bill later this year. If the UAP disclosure language remains in the final legislation and is signed into law, it would mark one of the most significant statutory efforts by Congress to organize and declassify government records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena.