On March 28, 1966 Congressman Gerald Ford wrote a letter to L. Mendel Rivers (Chairman of the US Armed Services Committee) urging him to establish a committee to investigate the UFO phenomena and distribute its' findings to the United States public. The following is an excerpt of that letter:

…in the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force (US), I strongly recommend that there be a committee investigation of the UFO phenomena. I think we owe it to the people to establish credibility regarding UFOs and to produce the greatest possible enlightenment on this subject.¹

Gerald Ford later went on to become President of the United States, but never again addressed the issue of UFOs.