On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs held an explosive hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), during which whistleblower David Grusch made incredible claims, and former Navy pilots David Fravor and Ryan Graves testified about their interactions with anomalous craft.
On Friday, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) — one of the leaders of the hearing — spoke about why the representatives were reportedly denied access to a SCIF (secure compartmented information facility), and answered questions regarding new witnesses coming forward in the aftermath of the hearing, and what the congressmembers are formally asking House leadership to provide.
On numerous occasions during the hearing, Grusch stated that he couldn’t answer certain questions in an open forum, but could provide details to cleared members of Congress inside a SCIF. However, Burchett and others have claimed that they were denied access to a SCIF.
As to the reported denial, Burchett explained that Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) was the point-person on attaining SCIF access, and that during the process, they were informed that “there was a problem” with Grusch’s clearance — something Burchett characterized as “totally ridiculous.”
While working at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Grusch had a Top Secret/Secret Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.
“We’re gonna appeal to Speaker McCarthy and try to get it turned around,” Burchett stated.
The congressman from Tennessee also noted that since the hearing on Wednesday, more witnesses have come forward.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
As for what comes next, Burchett said that he and three other members — Reps. Luna, Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) — co-signed a letter to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) asking for a Select Committee “outside the jurisdiction of any standing committee” and “with subpoena authority.”
I joined @RepMattGaetz, @RepLuna, and @RepMoskowitz in sending a letter to Speaker McCarthy requesting a select committee on UAPs. pic.twitter.com/m5YXfjPgH8
— Rep. Tim Burchett (@RepTimBurchett) July 28, 2023
Burchett noted that while it would be McCarthy who ultimately chooses who sits on such a committee, he would prefer that it be bipartisan.
“We need to strike while the iron is hot,” Burchett said of a timeline for next steps. “Because this is definitely a moving target.”
“We need to get the people that can get us in the SCIF, and tell us where this stuff is right now, and then we need to move on it then, not six weeks later,” the Tennessee lawmaker added.