,h4 ,,res4 #ajd  ,9 ! ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives1 ,u4 ,s41  ,febru>y #i1 
#bjbc  ,,resolution  ,:]eas1 on ,febru>y
 #b1 #bjbc1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se       
publicly ann\nc$ x 0 track+ ov] ,unit$  
,/ates t]ritory a high-altitude         
surveillance balloon belong+ to ! ,p's  
,republic ( ,*9a 7,,prc72 ,:]eas !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se has s9ce ackn[l$g$ t
 ,nor? ,am]ican ,a]ospace ,def5se ,comm&
 7,,norad7 fir/ began track+ !          
surveillance balloon on ,janu>y #bh1    
#bjbc1 prior to its entry into ,unit$   
,/ates airspace2 ,:]eas ! ,secret>y (   
,def5se has /at$ t ! balloon 0 be+ us$  
by ! ,,prc 9 an attempt to surveil      
/rategic sites 9 ! cont95tal ,unit$     
,/ates2 ,:]eas ! surveillance balloon   
travel$ ne> s5sitive ,unit$ ,/ates      
national security facilities1 includ+   
,malm/rom ,air ,=ce ,base 9 ,montana2   
,:]eas1 on ,febru>y #d1 #bjbc1 a ,unit$ 
,/ates ,air ,=ce aircraft %ot d[n !     
surveillance balloon (f ! coa/ ( ,s\?   
,c>ol9a2 ,:]eas ! ,*9ese ,communi/      

,p>ty's 7,,ccp7 intellig5ce collection  
direct$ aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates poses a   
?reat to ,unit$ ,/ates int]e/s &        
security2 ,:]eas1 :ile ! ,,prc has a    
long hi/ory ( intellig5ce collection    
op]ations aga9/ ,unit$ ,/ates national  
security entities1 reports ( its        
espionage h ris5 significantly 9 rec5t  
ye>s2 ,:]eas ! ,,ccp attempt$ to spread 
false claims ab\t ! nature & purpose ( !
 surveillance balloon1 falsely claim+ x 
to be a wea!r balloon t ve]$ (f-c\rse   
due to =ce majeure ev5ts2 ,:]eas1 on    
,febru>y #c1 #bjbc1 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate 
po/pon$ 8 plann$ trip to ! ,,prc &      
ref]r$ to ! balloon incid5t z an        
irresponsible act & a cle> violation (  
,u4,s4 sov]eignty & int]national law t  
und]m9$ ! purpose ( ! trip2 ,:]eas      
,article ,i ( ! ,conv5tion on           
,int]national ,civil ,aviation1 also    
kn[n z ! ,*icago ,conv5tion1 /ates t e  
,/ate has complete & exclusive          
sov]eignty ov] ! airspace above its     
t]ritory2 ,:]eas al?\gh ,,prc           

surveillance balloons h previ\sly       
violat$ ,unit$ ,/ates airspace1 ?is     
incid5t diff]s f ^? prior violations due
 to ! l5g? ( "t ! balloon sp5t ov]      
,unit$ ,/ates t]ritory2 & ,:]eas x is 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates national security int]e/
 to det] =eign adv]s>ies f engag+ 9     
intellig5ce collection & o!r malign     
activities )9 ,unit$ ,/ates t]ritory &  
airspace3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (
 ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 condemns !      
,,prc's braz5 violation ( ,unit$ ,/ates 
sov]eignty2  7#b7 d5\nces ! ,,ccp's     
ef=ts to deceive ! int]national         
community ?r\gh false claims ab\t its   
intellig5ce collection campaigns 9      
violation ( ,unit$ ,/ates sov]eignty2   
7#c7 det]m9es t x %\ld be ! policy ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates to promptly & decisively  
act to prev5t =eign a]ial surveillance  
plat=ms1 includ+ ^? direct$ by or       
connect$ to ! ,,ccp1 f violat+ ,unit$   
,/ates sov]eignty2 &  7#d7 calls on !   
,bid5 adm9i/ration to cont9ue to keep   
,congress appris$ by provid+            

compreh5sive brief+s on ?is incid5t t   
include-- 7,a7 a complete acc\nt ( all  
kn[n infiltrations ( ! national airspace
 by ! ,,prc ov] ! pa/ sev]al ye>s1      
reg>dless ( plat=m2  7,b7 a complete    
acc\nt ( simil> pa/ incid5ts ( ! ,,prc's
 use ( surveillance balloons ar\nd ! _w2
  7,c7 a complete timel9e ( ev5ts = !   
mo/ rec5t infiltration f fir/ detection 
to ! ev5tual %ootd[n ( ! balloon2  7,d7 
an assessm5t ( :at surveillance data !  
,,prc 0 pot5tially able to collect or   
transmit1 via ! balloon :ile x 0 ov]    
,unit$ ,/ates t]ritory2  7,e7 a detail$ 
acc\nt ( :at measures 7 tak5 to mitigate
 ! intellig5ce collection ?reat pos$ by 
! balloon1 ! co/s ( ^? measures1 & !    
impact on ! regul> op]ations ( ! affect$
 in/allations1 plat=ms1 & p]sonnel2     
7,f7 a description ( :at options 7      
id5tifi$ to mitigate ! ?reat1 & a       
description & tim+ ( ! recomm5dation !  
,u4,s4 milit>y made to ! ,presid5t      
reg>d+ ^? response options2  7,g7 a     
detail$ acc\nt ( diplomatic             

communications betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 
! ,,prc reg>d+ ?is incid5t1 includ+ any 
dem>*es by ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate p]sonnel & 
subsequ5t responses by ! ,,prc2 &  7,h7 
a detail$ description ( plans1          
capabilities1 & me?ods to det] & defeat 
intellig5ce collection activities       
conduct$ by ! ,,prc or o!r =eign        
adv]s>ies 9 ! national airspace sy/em & 
any additional au?orities ne$$ f        
,congress to ensure detection & defeat (
 ^! activities 9 ! future4  ,cl]k4