By Tim Binnall
A newly proposed piece of legislation aims to allow civilian pilots to report UFO sightings to the Federal Aviation Administration for further investigation and without fear of reprisal. The bipartisan bill, dubbed the Safe Airspace for Americans Act, is reportedly being sponsored by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California and GOP Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin. The proposed legislation would require the FAA to collect such UAP sightings, compile relevant data regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, and then pass along a report on the event to the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Calling the effort "another step forward for disclosure," Garcia explained that the legislation would "provide a safe process" for otherwise overlooked UAP encounters to be investigated by the federal government. Intriguingly, included alongside civilian pilots in the legislation are flight attendants, dispatchers, maintenance personnel, and air traffic controllers who may spot something unusual as they go about their work. Additionally, airline companies and airports themselves would also be able to make use of the proposed reporting system should a noteworthy UAP incident come into their purview.
Stressing the importance of the proposed legislation, Grothman declared that it "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." In acknowledgment of the stigma attached to the phenomenon, the bill's sponsors commendably included provisions to protect witnesses from being retaliated against by their employers or facing a medical disqualification that would cause them to lose their pilot's license. Of course, whether or not the proposed bill becomes law depends on if it can survive the legislative gauntlet and wind up on the president's desk, though one hopes that the bipartisan support behind it will allow for that to happen.