Summary:
On May 22, 2026, Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, issued a comprehensive legislative request to The MITRE Corporation for records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), anomalous aerospace and undersea events, recovered materials, technologies of unknown origin, and alleged legacy crash-retrieval or reverse-engineering programs. According to exclusive reporting by DefenseScoop, Burlison’s 10-page correspondence—addressed to MITRE President/CEO Dr. Mark Peters and SVP/General Counsel Christopher Land—demands a full accounting of all relevant records dating back to 1930, mandates a preservation hold, requires designation of a senior official, and sets a 45-day deadline for unclassified records production. MITRE confirmed it is reviewing its archives and coordinating with federal agencies. The request targets MITRE’s unique role as a not-for-profit operator of six federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) with privileged access to classified programs. Burlison’s action is part of a broader congressional push for UAP transparency, following recent legislative mandates and oversight efforts.
Detailed Report
1. Scope and Details of Rep. Burlison’s Request to MITRE
Rep. Eric Burlison’s May 22, 2026, letter to The MITRE Corporation constitutes a sweeping legislative inquiry into the organization’s potential custody, control, analysis, transfer, destruction, or withholding of records related to UAP, anomalous aerospace or undersea events, recovered materials, technologies of unknown origin, and any alleged legacy crash-retrieval or reverse-engineering programs. The 10-page correspondence, obtained and reported exclusively by DefenseScoop, includes dozens of production requests and interrogatories. Burlison’s request covers all MITRE-operated FFRDCs and subcontractors, seeking records created, received, maintained, analyzed, transferred, destroyed, or otherwise controlled, retroactive to 1930. The letter also requires MITRE to identify any legal or contractual impediments to compliance and propose solutions for overcoming such obstacles.
2. Immediate Actions Required from MITRE
The correspondence outlines several compliance requirements for MITRE:
• Designate a senior officer at the vice-president level or higher within five business days to coordinate the response.
• Issue a written preservation hold within 10 business days covering all potentially responsive records across MITRE, all MITRE-operated FFRDCs, restricted systems, air-gapped environments, classified repositories, email, collaboration platforms, backup media, contractor and subcontractor systems, and offsite storage.
• Provide written answers to each interrogatory and a records-location index no later than 30 days from the letter date.
• Produce all unclassified responsive records in native electronic format with complete metadata within 45 days.
• Within 14 days, contact Burlison’s office to coordinate a classified briefing for Task Force members and cleared committee staff at the appropriate TS/SCI/SAP level.
• If no responsive records exist, provide a certification describing the search methodology, repositories searched, custodians contacted, search terms used, date ranges, and the responsible MITRE official who supervised the search.
The letter warns that false statements, concealment, alteration, destruction, or obstruction may implicate federal law, including 18 U.S.C. §§ 1001, 1505, 1512, 1519, and 2071. Burlison wrote, “This inquiry does not require MITRE to accept any particular conclusion about the origin or nature of UAP. It requires MITRE to tell Congress what it knows, what it holds, what it has held, what it has transferred, what it has destroyed or was directed to destroy, and which federal sponsors or classification authorities control any responsive records.”
3. MITRE’s Response and Internal Review
MITRE confirmed to DefenseScoop that it is actively reviewing its archives to comply with the congressional request. A spokesperson stated that if any relevant material is found, MITRE will coordinate with the federal agencies responsible for the work to determine how to best provide any assets. This response indicates MITRE’s recognition of its obligations as a steward of sensitive government information and its willingness to cooperate with legislative oversight.
4. Background on MITRE Corporation and Its Strategic Oversight Role
MITRE is a not-for-profit organization that operates multiple federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs). These centers provide technical expertise, continuity, and systems-engineering support to government sponsors, including national security, homeland security, aviation, cyber, health, and civilian-agency missions. FFRDCs, by design, receive special access to government facilities, data, sponsor requirements, and sensitive technical information. Due to their operational structure, FFRDCs are largely protected from public disclosure by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemptions. Burlison’s letter notes that MITRE’s role as an FFRDC operator and federal contractor may place it in custody or control of government-funded records, contractor-held federal records, technical datasets, working papers, contract deliverables, metadata, or program records relevant to the statutory framework requiring UAP records collection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
5. Rep. Burlison’s UAP Oversight Role and Legislative Activities
Rep. Burlison serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chairs the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, and is a member of the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets and the UAP Caucus. He has been a leading advocate for UAP transparency, participating in hearings, introducing UAP disclosure legislation in 2025, and pressing for access to classified and unclassified UAP materials.
6. Legislative and Oversight Context
Burlison’s request to MITRE is part of a broader legislative push for UAP transparency. The UAP Disclosure Act, included in the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), requires federal agencies to review and transfer UAP-related records to the National Archives. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), established under the FY2022 NDAA, is tasked with investigating UAPs and coordinating interagency efforts. The FY2026 NDAA expands requirements for Pentagon briefings on UAP intercepts and mandates immediate data sharing. The Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, chaired by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, has issued similar requests to other agencies, including an April 2026 letter to the Department of War seeking UAP video files.
Conclusion
The May 22, 2026 correspondence from Rep. Burlison requires MITRE to provide unclassified records within 45 days and coordinate a classified briefing within 14 days. MITRE has acknowledged receipt of the request and is conducting a review of its archives in coordination with federal agencies.