UFO witness and former Navy pilot praises UFO bill for transparency, launches whistleblower program

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Harvard professor predicts that the next State of the Union address will discuss UFOs

Harvard professor Avi Loeb joined ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss the whistleblower claim accusing the government of hiding a UFO retrieval program.

EXCLUSIVE – A former U.S. Navy fighter pilot praised a new amendment that would require the federal government to disclose information on UFOs to the public and announced a whistleblower support program in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Ryan Graves, who also made history as the first active duty pilot to testify to Congress about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), said the legislation is a tremendous step forward in revealing what the government is keeping secret about UAPs. 

"It truly is a Disclosure Act that will move this conversation forward," he said.

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A former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, Ryan Graves, praised a new amendment that would require the federal government to disclose information on UFOs to the public in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)

In a rare example of bipartisanship, The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023 was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY., on Friday and is also receiving key support from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. 

Graves explained that the oversight board created by the amendment will be given "subpoena powers and other authorities that would enable it to administer oaths and compel organizations or individuals to meet the intent of the bill that Congress has put forward." The board will even be able to make recommendations to the president, assuming the legislation is successful.  

The introduction of the amendment signifies a major turn in government rhetoric on UFOs, especially with the support of someone like Schumer, one of the most powerful voices in Washington, D.C. 

Schumer said Friday that Americans have a right to know about "non-human" intelligences operating in the world. 

"The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena," he said. "We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public." 

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In a rare example of bipartisanship, The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023 was introduced by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY., on Friday and is also receiving key support from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.  (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images // Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Rubio, a co-sponsor of the UFO disclosure amendment, called on the executive branch to aid in exploring the issue of UAPs. 

"There is a lot we still don’t know about these UAPs and that is a big problem," Rubio said Friday. "We’ve taken some important steps over the last few years to increase transparency and reduce stigmas, but more needs to be done. This is yet another step in that direction, and one that I hope will spur further cooperation from the executive branch."

Graves added that the review board would hold "final judgment" regarding withholding information as a national security matter. But all government records on UFOs would come "with a presumption of disclosure of non-classification." 

In addition to those powers, the government could potentially "seize this technology by means of eminent domain if this bill or this act is not complied with."

A new office dedicated to studying UAP (UFO) sightings has secured full-funding in the upcoming 2024 defense budget. (Department of Defense)

But critical to the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023 is witness testimony.

Graves, the executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace (ASA), announced in a statement that he was launching a campaign "to support commercial aircrew and military UAP witnesses who want to share their accounts." 

The campaign will provide a website and a safe "pipeline" for pilots who have witnessed or encountered UAPs directly within their careers to attest to their experience, Graves said.

"I have been talking to veterans and commercial pilots about daily UAP encounters, and they want answers about what is flying in our skies. Whether these UAP are foreign drones or something else, this data should be collected, evaluated and identified," said Graves in a press statement. 

"Right now, there is very little formalized support for UAP aircrew witnesses, and Americans for Safe Aerospace has the expertise to mobilize and fill that gap. From my own experience, I know firsthand the stigma around the UAP topic and the very real fear of professional consequences so I want to help others navigate the process of coming forward," he added.

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Graves emphasized to Fox News Digital that there is "no organized process" for UAP witnesses and whistleblowers to apply to testify before Congress. "So if you are someone in the public, perhaps a veteran that has had experiences that they've witnessed and you don't understand the process, there is really no services available right now." 

"We're filling that gap," he said.

Pilots are experiencing run-ins with UAPs "every day," Graves added, making this a "serious issue" that is not currently receiving serious attention in Congress or by the public. 

When asked who in the presidential race is best covering the issue of UAPs, Graves said that it was "too premature to answer that." 

But Graves said that presidential candidates are running out of time to prepare for important questions on UAPs from the public. 

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"I don't know who's necessarily savvy on this from the perspective of candidates right now, but I expect them to be savvy on this in a few months," he said.