To terminate the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8197
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-06: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-09T20:37:41Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill (H.R. 8197) aims to shut down the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) within the Department of Defense (DoD) and prevent the creation of any similar centralized office focused on investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP)—objects or events in the air, space, or water that cannot be immediately identified, such as unusual airborne or underwater devices.
Key Provisions
- Termination Requirement: Within 60 days of enactment, the Secretary of Defense must:
- Close AARO.
- Move its responsibilities to other parts of the DoD as deemed suitable.
- Prohibition on Similar Offices: Neither the DoD nor the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) can create a new single office with broad control over UAP matters.
- Repeals and Amendments:
- Fully repeals the law that created AARO (Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022).
- Removes AARO references from related laws on security guides, records management, and National Archives procedures, replacing them with references to the Secretary of Defense.
- Effective Date: Changes take effect 60 days after enactment.
- Definitions:
- Transmedium objects or devices: Items observed moving between space/air and water that are not immediately identifiable.
- Unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP): Includes airborne objects, transmedium items, and submerged devices showing unusual behavior possibly linked to aerial ones.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Eliminates AARO: Directly repeals its establishing statute and excises it from supporting laws (e.g., FY2023, FY2024, and FY2026 National Defense Authorization Acts).
- Decentralizes UAP Oversight: Shifts from a dedicated office to scattered DoD elements, removing centralized authority.
- Conforming Updates: Amends record-keeping and archival rules to reference the Secretary of Defense instead of AARO.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: DoD must redistribute AARO's workload, potentially slowing or altering UAP investigations; ODNI loses ability to centralize similar efforts.
- Citizens: May reduce focused government attention on UAP reports, affecting public transparency or data collection on aerial/submerged anomalies.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though decentralized handling could influence how the U.S. shares or responds to global UAP sightings.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Defense (DoD): Primary entity responsible for closure and function transfers.
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI): Barred from creating equivalents.
- Congressional Committees: House Armed Services and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence oversee referral.
- Public and Researchers: Those tracking UAP (e.g., via records or reports) may face fragmented access.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Streamlines DoD structure by repealing outdated provisions; ensures no new "comprehensive" UAP entity without congressional approval.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over military organization (Article I, Section 8); no apparent conflicts.
- Political: Introduced by Rep. Burchett; reflects debate on government efficiency versus specialized anomaly investigations, potentially sparking oversight hearings on UAP handling post-termination.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-06: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-06: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-06: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To terminate the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-04-06 — PDF (4 pages)