The US Congress convened a landmark panel on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs, in a serious acknowledgment that mysterious sightings deserve scrutiny at the highest levels of government. During the hearing, witnesses shared encounters with objects defying physics, spoke of pilots afraid to report incidents, and alleged government suppression of information and retaliation against whistleblowers.

Although no confirmation of alien life emerged, the fact that witnesses received a major hearing before Congress was significant. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers supported greater transparency around UAPs from the military, with calls for a reporting process to protect pilots’ jobs. The public embrace of UFOs as a policy issue represents a remarkable shift from secrecy to serious national security consideration.