H.R. 5231, the Safe Airspace for Americans Act, directs the Federal Aviation Administration to create standardized procedures for collecting and reporting incidents involving unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) reported by pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation personnel. The bill aims to protect reporters from retaliation and reduce stigma around reporting these incidents. It was introduced on September 9, 2025, by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42) and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
What must the FAA do?
Within 180 days of the bill becoming law, the FAA Administrator must develop procedures to collect, report, and analyze incidents involving UAP. These procedures cover reports from civilian pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance workers, dispatchers, airlines, and airports. The FAA must also set up ways to store this information, investigate incidents quickly, and evaluate whether UAP incidents pose a safety threat to U.S. airspace.
How will reports be handled?
The FAA can choose to use its existing Aviation Safety Reporting Program or create a new separate system just for UAP reports. Either way, the system must allow people to describe the object and its movement. The FAA must also consider letting pilots submit reports through electronic flight bags (portable computers used in cockpits) if it can be done safely without distracting pilots.
Who gets the information?
The FAA must share all UAP reports and data with the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office at the Department of Defense. The FAA will also coordinate with other agencies including the Department of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy.
What protections do reporters get?
The bill prohibits the FAA from using UAP reports in enforcement actions (except for accidents or crimes). It also protects pilots' medical certificates and airmen certificates from being affected by reporting UAP. Federal employees, contractors, and airline workers cannot face retaliation, loss of security clearances, or job termination for reporting UAP. Airlines cannot issue cease-and-desist letters to people who report UAP to the FAA.
What is the bill's goal on stigma?
Within 180 days, the FAA must create a communications strategy to publicize the reporting process and reduce stigma around reporting UAP. The bill states it is the sense of Congress that all UAP encounters by aviation personnel should be reported, especially when they involve safety or national security concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an unidentified anomalous phenomenon under this bill?
The bill defines UAP as an airborne object that is not immediately identifiable, a transmedium object or device (something that moves between space and the atmosphere, or between the atmosphere and water), or a submerged object or device that is not immediately identifiable and shows behavior suggesting it may be related to an airborne UAP.
``unidentified anomalous phenomena'' means-- (A) an airborne object that is not immediately identifiable; (B) a transmedium object or device; and (C) a submerged object or device that-- (i) is not immediately identifiable; and (ii) displays behavior or performance characteristics suggesting that the object or device may be related to an object described in subparagraph (A).
Can the FAA use UAP reports to punish pilots or workers?
No. The bill prohibits the FAA from using UAP reports in any enforcement action except for information about accidents or criminal offenses. This protection applies to all aviation personnel including pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, and maintenance workers.
The Administrator may not use reports submitted under this section (or information derived therefrom) in any enforcement action except information concerning accidents or criminal offenses.
What happens if an airline tries to punish someone for reporting UAP?
The bill prohibits air carriers and commercial operators from taking personnel actions against employees, threatening termination, or issuing cease-and-desist letters as retaliation for reporting UAP to the FAA.
An air carrier or commercial operator under part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations shall not-- (1) take or fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to take, a personnel action, or termination of employment, with respect to any individual as a reprisal for spotting, visually witnessing or reporting of unidentified anomalous phenomena to the Administrator; or (2) issue a cease and desist letter to any individual or organization for spotting, visually witnessing, or reporting of unidentified anomalous phenomena to the Administrator.
Will reporting UAP affect a pilot's medical certificate?
No. The bill states that spotting, witnessing, or reporting UAP cannot be considered when evaluating mental health standards for issuing or keeping a medical certificate, and it cannot affect evaluation of competency for issuing airmen certificates.
The spotting, visual witness, or reporting of unidentified anomalous phenomena shall not be taken into account for the purposes of evaluation of mental standards for issuing medical certificates for airmen and for remaining eligible for a medical certificate under part 67 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.