(NewsNation) — Lawmakers and whistleblowers continued a push for transparency on UFOs at Thursday’s Disclosure Forum, exploring the ways it could change the country and people’s lives.

The forum featured panel discussions on issues around UAPs, including the congressional push for transparency, national security implications and the economic and religious impact of sightings.

Missing scientists and disclosure

Speculation has swirled around possible connections between a number of missing and dead scientists, some of whom are said to have connections to UAP research.

Pippa Malgren noted that it seems unlikely that so many people would disappear under normal circumstances and that this could hinder disclosure and create uncertainty for financial markets.

Would disclosure crash the markets?

Panelists discussed the impact of UFO disclosure on the economy, rejecting the assertion that the markets would panic if evidence of extraterrestrial life were disclosed.

The impact of stigma on UAP investigation

Jennice Vilhauer noted that stigma about the subject of UFOs can limit people from coming forward with information, thus limiting investigation into UAPs.

It can also impact the responses and care people receive who have had UAP encounters, including medical care.

Psychological impact of disclosure will rely on institutional choices

Vilhauer noted that the psychological impact will depend on the trustworthiness of those providing information and how much confidence people have in the institutions releasing information.

Vilhauer noted that, according to survey data, most people do not perceive UAPs as relevant to their daily lives and do not think they are threatening.

Would the existence of aliens conflict with religion?

Regarding monotheistic religion, Carlos Eire examined the existence of extraterrestrial life and how it might intersect with religion.

The subject often comes up in conversations about UFOs.

The holy grail of UAP evidence

Harvard University astrophysicist Avi Loeb said evidence that could be used to prove whether UAPs are extraterrestrial in origin could include detailed satellite imagery and material that can be tested to determine whether it is of Earth origin.

The importance of scientific inquiry

“We should keep our eye on the orbs, not the audience,” Loeb said.

The audience he referred to was people speculating on the nature of UAPs as he emphasized the need for scientists to collect data and investigate before sharing findings with the public.

“If we have a neighbor, it will not depend on what people say about it on social media,” he said.

Loeb also said that if it turns out UAPs are human-made, scientific investigation will still be worthwhile because it will have helped answer the question.

Increasing UAP disclosure

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., announced that he and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., are once again cosponsoring an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would increase executive branch disclosure on the subject of UAPs.

Rounds decried silos in government, including between congressional committees, that have complicated efforts.

How to filter through sightings and encounters?

Recently released UAP files revealed encounters with UAPs featuring law enforcement officers and intelligence personnel.

Those encounters are nearly identical to reports of “foo fighters” from World War II, Marik von Rennenkampff noted, suggesting that the release of those files is a form of “soft disclosure.” The same orbs were also seen in the 1952 D.C. UFO sightings.

Retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet said scientific inquiry is the best way to sort legitimate experiences from false or easily explained ones. He emphasized the need for academic institutions to get involved.

Need for more whistleblower protections

Panelists said whistleblower protections are inadequate and the stigma around the topic can harm those who speak out.

Those who disclose may risk their reputations, damage their future career options and their ability to support themselves.

Panelists noted there could be limits on the class of whistleblowers to prevent abuse and suggested the private sector could become involved in fundraising to compensate those who lose career opportunities by speaking out.

Is the world ready for the paradigm shift of encountering alien life?

McConnell suggested it’s unclear, comparing it to indigenous people who came into contact with colonizers and who came out on the worse end of the deal.

He also noted that there have been cases where people have united against a common enemy, while also noting that it assumes aliens would be aggressive.

McConnell said it’s also possible that aliens could be benevolent and come to help raise Earth’s consciousness.

Have UAPs acted aggressively to humans?

Mellon noted that the military has experienced radar jamming. He also referenced incidents in the 1950s where a military plane merged with a UAP on radar and never came back.

Gallaudet also referenced individuals who have encountered UAPs experiencing health problems.

What if our adversaries have UAP tech?

There are suggestions that other countries have recovered UAP technology.

“I don’t think we’re magically going to sing kumbaya once Trump or Xi or Putin announce the existence of nonhuman intelligence,” said former analyst Marik von Rennenkampff.

He noted there must be a discussion about what happens if the U.S. were to find out that Russia or China has advanced technology from UAPs.

Would government disclose UAP technology?

If UAPs are actually U.S. technology, or if the government has reverse engineered, experts say it could possibly be disclosed to deter other countries.

Does the government know what is going on with UAPs?

A question was raised of whether the government knows about UAPs and is keeping the public in the dark or if the government does not know very much about what is going on and is hiding its ignorance.

“When the United States government perceives something that is intentionally a threat, they don’t ignore it,” said former Senate staffer Kirk McConnell.

He noted that many efforts have been made by the government to investigate UAPs.

“Whether they’ve succeeded in unraveling what it is and how it works is another story,” he said.

‘Oceans aren’t as safe as we think’

Retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet stated that while America often feels secure because it is surrounded by oceans, there are frequent ocean sightings that indicate a national security threat from UAPs isn’t mitigated by ocean waters.

Luis Elizondo awarded Disclosure Award

Former Pentagon insider and whistleblower Luis Elizondo was awarded the Disclosure Award for his work. Elizondo has spoken out about alleged Pentagon UFO programs and his work on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, though the Pentagon has denied that he worked in that capacity.

Elizondo called the program “more history in the making,” noting that the topic has gained more serious consideration after decades of ridicule and stigma.

1952 DC UFO incident

One file lawmakers are seeking is a reel-to-reel recording of a discussion regarding the 1952 Washington, D.C., UFO incident.

In 1952, air traffic controllers in the capital reported multiple unexplained objects on radar near Andrews Air Force Base, which then spread out over the area. A week after the initial incident, more lights were seen.

When fighter jets were scrambled to respond, the lights reportedly disappeared when they got close and reappeared when they backed off.

The Air Force’s Project Blue Book investigated the sightings.

Call for images of UAPs

Lawmakers said that people with cell phone video or images of UAPs should come forward, noting that they want to see proof as much as anyone.

Rep. Eric Burlison said that lawmakers are being very specific in sending letters to agencies when requesting information.

He said people coming forward with specific information helps lawmakers narrow down requests for agencies and may lead to more files.

Tools for disclosure

Lawmakers expressed frustration at the difficulty of using tools at their disposal to get UAP information. One issue they addressed was pushback from Congressional staff blocking efforts.

Lawmakers seeking nonhuman craft and biologics

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said there is a list of people who lawmakers want to be granted immunity by the White House in order to allow them to share information on potential recovered nonhuman craft or biologics.

“We are going to get them immunity and protection,” she said.

Luna said that she has not personally seen either of those things.

Rep. Eric Burlison stressed the need for people to be safe when stepping forward as whistleblowers, stressing the need for immunity and waiving non-disclosure agreements for anything regarding life outside of the Earth.

He also talked about digging into information that may be hidden in the private sector to avoid Congressional oversight.

Lawmakers frustrated over failure to produce documents

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna expressed frustration over the failure of agencies to disclose documents that lawmakers know exist. She stated that Congress has been told the files can’t be located.

Lawmakers awarded Disclosure Award

Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Eric Burlison, R-Mo., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Andre Carson, D-Ind., were awarded the honor by the Disclosure Foundation for their work on UAP transparency.

NewsNation coverage of the Disclosure Forum

NewsNation’s Reality Check team is on site for the forum. Ross Coulthart will break down what happened and what we learned in a special episode of the show.

Americans can handle the truth

Keynote speaker Christopher Mellon cited polling about UAPs and stressed that most Americans are able to handle the truth of potential extraterrestrial work.

Because any recovered UAP technology would be gathered using U.S. tax dollars, Mellon stated that such technology belongs to the people and could propel our technological capabilities forward.

“It is wiser to prepare for the future than conceal it,” he said.

Progress in UAP disclosure

Opening the forum, Christopher Mellon, who served in the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, noted that much progress has been made in discussing a subject surrounded by stigma.

What real-life UFO encounters inspired Disclosure Day?

However, Mellon still called out those in government for not being transparent about UAPs and raised questions about how much is known about these craft.

Mellon addressed incursions of unknown craft near sensitive locations with national security implications, including bases in the U.S. and ships and military installations abroad.

“The sooner we learn the truth the better, the better our chances of preparing for whatever comes next,” Mellon said.

He said he believes some of the craft are nonhuman in nature and transparency is critical.

“The American people have the right to know the truth on such an important issue,” he said.

Forum speakers

Speakers included well-known proponents of UAP disclosure, including Christopher Mellon, who served in the administrations of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush; retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, who has spoken out about UAP sightings; and Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.

Multiple lawmakers attended, including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Eric Burlison, R-Mo., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-SD.

Rising interest in UFOs

There has been a bipartisan push for UFO disclosure following claims from whistleblower David Grusch about secret Pentagon programs dedicated to retrieving and reverse engineering UFO technology.

Whistleblowers have said not only is the U.S. in possession of technology from crashed UFOs, the government is also in possession of nonhuman biological specimens.

Grusch’s testimony sparked congressional hearings on the subject and the rolling release of declassified UAP files by the U.S. government.

Skeptic on UAP panel? That’s fine, up to a point, Ross Coulthart says

Path to transparency

However, lawmakers remain frustrated over the lack of progress and have accused the Pentagon of compartmentalizing information and using private contractors to avoid congressional oversight.

The Pentagon has denied the existence of any secret UAP programs and said there is no evidence sightings are connected to extraterrestrial life.