Congress Passes Bill for UFO Records Release Within 25 Years

Critics Argue Bill Allows Too Much Government Discretion Over What Remains Classified

Congress has passed a defense bill that requires the federal government to publicly release its records on UFOs, or what it calls 'unidentified anomalous phenomena,' within 25 years.
The bill allows for the release to be postponed by a future president if it’s determined that there would be an identifiable harm to the nation’s military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or conduct of foreign relations.
The legislation, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law, has been criticized for its slow-rolling disclosure process and for allowing government agencies to decide whether any information contained in the to-be-disclosed records violates national security interests.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has called the bill a 'major, major win for government transparency' and a 'strong foundation for more action in the future'.
However, other lawmakers, including Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), have expressed disappointment with the bill, claiming that the 'intelligence community rallied' to put a stop to more sweeping transparency.