Who?
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) — Senate Armed Services & Intelligence Committees*
*Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s lead Republican co-author of the UAPDA
ICYMI — Rounds & Schumer’s 2023 UAP colloquy
LISTEN: Laslo & Rounds
Ask a Pol asks:
Are we gonna see the UAPDA in this year’s NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act]?
Key Rounds:
“I think it might be in there,” Sen. Mike Rounds exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “At least I think we’ve got a shot at it, because I think anything that comes over would be with a manager’s package that we’re putting together now.”*
*‘managers’ is another name for conferees, so this is, basically, Washington-speak for ‘conference report’
With this year’s NDAA, you’re kinda predicting the same as last year — no real conference committee?
“The best hope we’ve got is pre-conference with the House and then have the House send us a message that basically, you know, is privileged so it can come in and then it becomes an up or down vote. I think that’s gonna be the only way this is gonna happen in the near term,” Rounds says. “And I’m just being practical.”*
*Both the House and Senate are now on summer vacation, we mean, recess. They’re not slated to return to Washington until the week of September 9th. It’s an election year, and the two divided chambers still have to work out a deal to fund the government. The NDAA is an annual, must-pass measure, because it authorizes the military.
The fear amongst the Congressional UAP Caucus now is that without a formal conference committee — where rank-and-file senators and representatives alike sit down and negotiate through the differences between their two chambers’ respective bills — like last year, House and Senate leaders will be empowered to negotiate the NDAA in secret.
Stay tuned…
Who gutted Schumer’s UAPDA last year?
Who in the House are you negotiating with on the new UAPDA, Intel or Armed Services?
“Well, both,” Rounds says, “But Intel’s got a big part of it.”
Of the UAPDA?
“They did last year,” Rounds (finally!!!!!) admits to Ask a Pol.*
*Ask a Pol’s takeaway:
The Top Democrat on HPSCI, Rep. Jim Himes, is either so indifferent to all things UAPs that he’s cut out of the conversations, which would mean House Intel Chair Mike Turner is in the driver’s seat.
Or Himes repeatedly lied to our — and thus your! — face…
Send us your thoughts! After a year, we’re still on it…
ICYMI — Himes told us UAPs never came up last year
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), slightly edited for clarity.
SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT*
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TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mike Rounds
SCENE: Sen. Rounds and two of his aides are walking through the basement of the Capitol before hopping an elevator to the Senate floor so he can vote.
Matt Laslo: “Hey, how are you doing, senator?”
Mike Rounds: “Good, how are you doing?”
ML: “Livin the dream.”
MR: “Two days! Hey, you finally caught me.”
Ahead of the Senate starting its monthlong August recess, congressional beat reporters hogged Rounds’ time. After patiently waiting in the wings Monday and Tuesday, Laslo had to give up both days (as he, basically, interviewed 1/3rd of the Senate each day this week), which Rounds’ aides seem to have mentioned to him.
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ML: “Patience. Patience.”
Sen. Rounds laughs.
ML: “I was curious, I heard you yesterday on the NDAA, you were kinda predicting the same as last year with no real conference committee?”
MR: “I just think the fact that Sen. Schumer doesn’t want his people to vote on anything or any amendments, I think the best hope we’ve got is pre-conference with the House and then have the House send us a message that basically, you know, is privileged so it can come in and then it becomes an up or down vote. I think that’s gonna be the only way this is gonna happen in the near term. And I’m just being practical.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “Not that I support that approach. I’d much rather have an open amendment process, but I suspect that might be what they’re thinking.”
ML: “What would that mean for the new UAPDA?”
MR: “I think it might be in there, because — I mean, at least I think we’ve got a shot at it, because I think anything that comes over would be with a manager’s package that we’re putting together now. A large manager’s package over here, and then do a…”
Crowded as we exit elevator just off the Senate floor.
ML: “Sorry, ma’am.”
Ma’am: “Thank you!”
MR: “…and then do a — I mean, there’s a pretty good manager’s package being developed, I think. So if you take what came out of committee along with a consensus manager’s package on stuff, and then pre-conference that with the House.”
ML: “But last year that Schumer amendment — your UAPDA — got gutted in there.”
MR: “Right, but I think we’re still working with the House.”
ML: “What are the tweaks that you think can maybe win them over?”
MR: “Maybe more of a comfort level that they would have in terms of what our goal is.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “And you still gotta protect sensitive information here, and I think that’s the concern they have. And I don’t disagree with it. It’s one of the reasons I got involved in this the first place was to have a legitimate way to do this but still protecting the vital, sensitive things that we are doing.”
ML: “Who are you negotiating with over there? Is it Intel or Armed Services?”
MR: “Well, both. But Intel’s got a big part of it.”
ML: “Of this? The UAPDA?”
MR: “They did last year, you know, so...”
ML: “Interesting. Cause they kinda deny it.”
MR: “Of course.”
ML: “Yeah?”
Laslo laughs.
MR: “Excuse me.”
ML: “That’s the nature of it?”
MR: “That’s the nature of the game.”
ML: “Preciate ya.”
Rounds walks onto the Senate floor to vote.
ML to mic: “That’s the nature of the game.”
It was loud as Rounds was walking away, so Laslo repeats his last comment into his mic.
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Sen. Rounds: "We’ve got a shot at" getting new UAPDA in NDAA — but it depends on House Intel