Burlison Presses MITRE for Answers on UAP Records, FFRDC Accountability, and Compliance with Federal Declassification Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Eric Burlison (MO-07), a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, transmitted legislative interrogatories and production requests to The MITRE Corporation, a federally funded research and development Center (FFRDC). These interrogatories and requests are specifically for the purpose of seeking answers regarding MITRE’s potential custody, control, analysis, transfer, destruction, or withholding of records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), anomalous aerospace or undersea events, recovered materials, technologies of unknown origin, and alleged legacy crash-retrieval or reverse-engineering programs.

The MITRE requests build on Congressman Burlison’s recent letter to MIT Lincoln Laboratory concerning historical UAP-related records associated with the Beacon Hill Study and the reel-to-reel recording identified as “AF-ATIC-FILM, 03/52.” That prior request asked MIT Lincoln Laboratory to identify, preserve, digitize, and coordinate transfer of any responsive government-funded UAP records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for inclusion in the UAP Records Collection.  

“Federally funded research and development centers occupy a unique position of public trust,” said Congressman Burlison. “These entities often receive privileged access to federal facilities, U.S. government programs/activities, classified information, sensitive data, personnel, and government-funded research. They cannot become private vaults for federal records—especially records Congress has directed to be identified, preserved, reviewed, and transferred for public release.”

Congress established a national UAP Records Collection through the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, and federal agencies have been directed to identify, review, digitize, and transfer appropriate UAP records to NARA for inclusion in Record Group 615. Burlison’s MITRE inquiry seeks to determine whether MITRE, any MITRE-operated FFRDC, or any MITRE subcontractor or partner entity holds or previously held responsive records, technical datasets, contract deliverables, metadata, classification guidance, sponsor communications, or program information bearing on that statutory framework.  

The interrogatories ask MITRE to designate a senior official to coordinate their response, issue a preservation hold, provide a records-location index, produce unclassified responsive records, identify classified or sponsor-controlled materials, and coordinate a classified briefing for Task Force Members and cleared committee staff.  

“This inquiry does not require MITRE to accept any particular conclusion about the origin or nature of UAP,” Burlison continued. “It requires MITRE to tell Congress what it knows, what it holds, what it has held, what it has transferred, what it has destroyed or was directed to destroy, and which federal sponsors or classification authorities control any responsive records.”

These MITRE interrogatories also seek information regarding Special Access Programs, Controlled Access Programs, national programs, activities under Alternative Compensatory Control Measures, classification guides, nondisclosure instruments, contractor-held federal records, sensor data, materials analysis, third-party relationships, budgetary mechanisms, and any internal disclosures or retaliation concerns related to UAP records or programs.  

The inquiry follows President Trump’s UAP-file-declassification order and ongoing efforts by the Task Force to ensure that federal agencies, contractors, FFRDCs, laboratories, and other entities comply with congressional transparency mandates, records-management obligations, and lawful declassification processes.

Burlison also encouraged whistleblowers and individuals with relevant information to use lawful, protected channels.

“Anyone with information concerning UAP records, contractor-held federal records, improper classification, records destruction, retaliation, or concealment should come forward through appropriate protected channels,” Burlison said. “That includes contacting their cognizant Inspector General, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the Government Accountability Office, the House Whistleblower Ombuds, or Member offices directly. The Task Force is working to uncover the truth, but Congress cannot do that without individuals who are willing to provide lawful, protected disclosures.”

Individuals considering disclosures to Congress are encouraged to review the House Whistleblower Ombuds’ best-practices guidance.

Classified information should only be transmitted through appropriate, secure, and lawful channels.