WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Congressman Glenn Grothman introduced the “Safe Airspace for Americans Act” which would facilitate the reporting of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) by civilian aviation personnel. Reports would be shared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the Department of Defense’s AARO Office with legal protections for those making reports. The bill is endorsed by Americans for Safe Aerospace. “UAP transparency is incredibly important for our national security, which is why we need to create a space where those in aviation have the ability to report their findings and experiences,” said Congressman Garcia. “This bill is another step forward for disclosure and to provide a safe process for UAP reporting by civilian and commercial personnel.” “Since I was a child, unidentified objects in our airspace have been a topic of interest. UAPs continue to raise serious questions and pose a unique risk to our national security. Following Congressional testimony from military pilots who witnessed these phenomena, the Safe Airspace for Americans Act is a crucial initiative that empowers those on the frontline of our skies to contribute valuable intelligence regarding UAP sightings that can help ensure that potential threats are thoroughly investigated. With the majority of Americans believing that the government has suppressed information on UAPs, our bipartisan effort highlights our need for transparency from the federal government regarding UAPs to better protect the safety and security of American citizens,” said Glenn Grothman, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs. “Pilots are trained observers of our skies, but I have heard from dozens of frustrated pilots for major airlines who witnessed UAP yet had no confidential way to report them to the government,” said ASA Executive Director Ryan Graves, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot. “In July, I testified before the House Oversight Committee and asked Congress to provide commercial pilots a safe reporting option to help close the domain awareness gap revealed by UAP. I am incredibly encouraged to see Congressman Garcia and Congressman Grothman standing with pilots and taking a pragmatic and historic step forward for national security and aviation safety.” The bill specifically enables civilian aircrew, FAA air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance workers, dispatchers, and airlines to report UAP encounters to the FAA. The FAA would then compile relevant communication, information, or data, and then share the report with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) at the Department of Defense. The FAA would also study any threats such incidents could pose to the national airspace system. To ensure pilots feel safe reporting and to gather the best data, reporting UAPs could not be used to medically disqualify a pilot; and airlines could not retaliate against employees from reporting, nor issue cease and desist letters. Federal employees are protected from retaliation for reporting. While this is a positive step in the direction of creating better transparency in commercial aviation, there will still be a need for better civilian reporting systems.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
Congressman Garcia is committed to advocating for UAP transparency and increasing coordination between federal agencies. In July of last year, the Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs – which Representatives Grothman and Garcia serve as Chairman and Ranking Member – held a public hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. That hearing highlighted the national security implications surrounding UAPs and the urgent need for transparency and disclosure around what they are.
