MYSTERY WIRE –– The U.S. House Intelligence Committee has approved the 2022 Intelligence Authorization Act that includes directives on the government and UAPs.

In a news release put out by committee Chairman Adam Schiff, he writes “the bill is carrying a bicameral provision mandating intelligence sharing with the Department of Defense’s UAP task force.”

Persistent Pursuit of Unexplained Aerial Phenomena. Following a bipartisan oversight hearing on Unexplained Aerial Phenomena, the bill is carrying a bicameral provision mandating intelligence sharing with the Department of Defense’s UAP task force. The provision will ensure that the task force will be able to fully draw on all classified reporting about UAPs as they continue to investigate this mysterious threat to U.S. airspace and our military forces.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Below is from the House act section 312 showing the pertinent language involving UAPs in the act:

SEC. 312. SUPPORT FOR AND OVERSIGHT OF UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA TASK FORCE.

(a) AVAILABILITY OF DATA ON UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA.—The Director of National Intelligence shall ensure that each element of the intelligence community with data relating to unidentified aerial phenomena makes such data available immediately to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or successor entity, and to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

(b) QUARTERLY REPORTS.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than quarterly thereafter, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or successor entity, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the findings of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or successor entity.
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(A) All reported unidentified aerial phenomena-related events that occurred during the period covered by the report.
(B) All reported unidentified aerial phenomena-related events that occurred during a period other than the period covered by the report but were not included in an earlier report.
(3) FORM.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in classified form, consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods.

(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means the following:
(A) The congressional intelligence committees.
(B) The Committees on Armed Services of  the House of Representatives and the Senate.
(2) UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA TASK FORCE.—The term ‘‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force’’ means the task force established by the Department of Defense on August 4, 2020, to be led by the Department of the Navy, under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

The U.S. Senate bill includes similar language. In section 345, the expectations of the UAP Task Force are detailed (read section below).

SEC. 345. SUPPORT FOR AND OVERSIGHT OF UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA TASK FORCE

(a) Definitions.—In this section:
     (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.—The term “appropriate committees of Congress” includes:
          (A) The congressional intelligence committees.
          (B) The Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
          (C) The Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.

     (2) UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA TASK FORCE.—The term “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force” means the task force established by the Department of Defense on August 4, 2020, to be led by the Department of the Navy, under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

(b) Availability Of Data On Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.—The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense shall each, in coordination with each other, require each element of the intelligence community and the Department of Defense with data relating to unidentified aerial phenomena to make such data available immediately to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force and to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

(c) Quarterly Reports To Congress.—
     (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than quarterly thereafter, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or such other entity as the Deputy Secretary of Defense may designate to be responsible for matters relating to unidentified aerial phenomena, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress quarterly reports on the findings of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or such other designated entity as the case may be.

     (2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
          (A) All reported unidentified aerial phenomena-related events that occurred during the previous 90 days.
          (B) All reported unidentified aerial phenomena-related events that occurred during a time period other than the previous 90 days but were not included in an earlier report.

     (3) FORM.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in classified form.

S.2610 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022

The first indication that the UAP Task Force would continue its work and become more integrated into the defense and intelligence communities came the same day the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a nine page unclassified report on UAPs.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks issued a memo directing the formalization of the UAPTF’s mission. July 16, 2021: ODNI: Classified UFO report has eight more pages

In the one page document published to the Department of Defense publication page, the Deputy Secretary laid out three key components:

  • Establish procedures to synchronize collection, reporting and analysis on the UAP problem set, and to establish recommendations for securing military test and training ranges.
  • Identify requirements for the establishment and operation of the new activity, to include the organizational alignment, resources and staffing required, as well as any necessary authorities and a timeline for implementation.
  • Be developed in coordination with the Principal Staff Assistants, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretaries of the Military Departments, and the Commanders of the Combatant Commands and with the DNI and other relevant interagency partners.

It ends with this statement, “All members of the Department will utilize these processes to ensure that the UAPTF, or its follow-on activity, has reports of UAP observations within two weeks of an occurrence.”