UAPDA sponsor “working NDAA stuff now” but UFO hurdle remains, “Issue last time was the House”

Who?Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) — Senate Intel & Armed Services CommitteesSCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches Sen. Mike Rounds walking through the US Capitol’s basement alone, so he proceeds to join the Senator as he rides one of the Senate’s underground trams from the Capitol to the Senate Office Buildings across the street.Matt Laslo: “Talking about one of your colleagues in the House — Rep. Burlison. He said he’s looking to maybe revive your measure with Schumer, the UAP Disclosure Act. Did you talk to Schumer about it at all?”Sen. Mike Rounds: “I have not.”ML: “So NDAA talks haven’t really sparked yet?”MR: “We’re working NDAA stuff now. This is one — I would like to see some language in it to move this thing along a little bit.”ML: “I’m curious if you guys now have an ally with the White House.”MR: “Yeah. I hope we do. The issue last time was the House and their concerns. We have to work with the House to allay the concerns they may have. And I have the same concerns — I don’t want to release anything that’s vital for our national security. I want to have it done correctly, so that we don’t give out any information that would otherwise endanger any of our classified programs.”ML: “Have the conversations changed in the last couple of years?”MR: “No, I don’t think so.”ML: “Is that disheartening?”MR: “No, it’s just — there are so many other things going on. I think folks are focused on other issues. We’ve got a war. We’ve got the challenges right now with part of government being shut down. It’s been frustrating — we’ve had this multiple times since October. But I think that’s where people have been focused.”ML: “Why go on recess if DHS is shut down?”MR: “I don’t know that we can. The challenge we’ve got is right now our Democratic colleagues continue to demand things they know we can’t do. I thought we had a pretty good deal going last night. I thought there was a good opportunity for them to come around on it. But some of the demands they’re making now simply don’t work.”ML: “Feel like they’re moving the goal posts?”MR: “I don’t know if they’re moving the goal posts — I always hate to say that — but I’m not sure they had laid out a goal post in the first place. Their demands have been rather nebulous. It’s probably gotten worse, not better. That doesn’t reflect what a number of the individual members have talked to us about. We’ve got a couple more days before the plan to break — hopefully jet fumes will help move things along.”ML: “I’ll be watching. I think they’re terrified of their progressive base.”MR: “You’ve hit it on the head.”ML: “Have a good one, sir.”About Ask a Pol: We give listeners a front row seat to Congress. Transparency matters, so come inside the Capitol with us! Politicians disappoint. Ask a Pol keeps em honest. Find us on social media:SubstackXSpotifyAppleDon’t miss our other Ask a Pol sites! Ask a Pol politics.Ask a Pol crypto. Ask a Pol drugs. Ask a Pol ai. Ask a Pol uaps. Find Ask a Pol founder @MattLaslo on social media.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.askapoluaps.com/subscribe