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Congress is holding a public hearing on UFOs for the first time in over 50 years

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An unexplained object is seen at center as it is tracked as it soars high along the clouds, traveling against the wind. 

The image from video provided by the Department of Defense labelled Gimbal, from 2015.

Department of Defense via Associated Press / Illustration by Michelle Budge

On Tuesday morning, Congress will have a public hearing on UFOs, the first in over 50 years, The New York Times reported.

What is the hearing about?

The open hearing will be held by the House Intelligence Committee’s subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation as they “press the Pentagon . . . for more answers on reports of mysterious aircraft violating protected airspace,” Politico reported.

Indiana Rep. André Carson, the subcommittee chairman, tweeted that the hearing will focus on “unidentified aerial phenomena” and the “national security risk it poses.”

“Americans need to know more about these unexplained occurrences,” Carson added.

Why is Congress holding a UFO hearing?

Nearly a year ago, the U.S. intelligence community released a report that stated they could only identify one out 144 incidents of “unidentified aerial phenomena,” or UAP.

The one UAP they could identify was “a large, deflating balloon,” according to NBC News.

The upcoming hearing will examine the “work of a group within the Pentagon that is following up on the national security and flight-safety questions raised by the report,” per The New York Times.

When is the hearing?

The hearing will be held on May 17 at 7 a.m. MT.

How to watch the hearing

The House Intelligence YouTube channel will livestream the C3 Subcommittee Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena on May 17.