AARO’s official position — “no empirical evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology” — exists in direct contradiction with documented congressional testimony. At the November 2024 Congressional UAP hearing, Rep. Mace stated on the record: “We now have existing and former U.S. Government officials who have told Congress that AARO and the Pentagon have broken the law by not revealing a significant body of information about UAPs, including military intelligence databases that have evidence of their existence as physical craft.” She further referenced: “This person has written a report that says the executive branch has been managing UAP/NHI issues without congressional knowledge, oversight, or authorization for some time, quite possibly decades.” This refers to the Immaculate Constellation document, a 12-page USAP document entered into the Congressional Record by Rep. Mace on November 13, 2024 (identified by Corbell/Knapp as authored by Matthew Brown). KEY STANDOFF: AARO invited David Grusch to brief them in a SCIF on multiple occasions. Grusch refused each time, citing security concerns. AARO’s response: this “makes it difficult to assess the credibility of his narrative.” Grusch’s response to those who called him credible: he said he was denied access to the programs he referenced, which is exactly what he would say if the programs exist. The IC Inspector General deemed his original complaint “urgent and credible.” AARO says the programs don’t exist. Congress says AARO is breaking the law. The whistleblower who can resolve it refuses to brief AARO. The 2025 annual report that might update this standoff has not been published as of April 27, 2026.