---
category: "UFO & Anomalous Phenomena"
tags:
  - Person
  - UFO
  - Politician
summary: "As a long-serving and powerful senator, Stevens was a key member of the bipartisan trio that controlled congressional spending for 'black budget' programs within the Pentagon."
born: 1923-11-18
died: 2010-08-09
location: "Indianapolis, Indiana"
---
[[Ted Stevens]] was a United States Senator from Alaska who, along with Senators [[Harry Reid]] and [[Daniel Inouye]], was instrumental in securing the initial funding for the [[Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program]] (AAWSAP), the precursor to the [[Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program]] (AATIP).[^1]

### Role in Funding AATIP

As a long-serving and powerful senator, Stevens was a key member of the bipartisan trio that controlled congressional spending for "black budget" programs within the [[Pentagon]]. His support was crucial in securing the $22 million appropriation that established AAWSAP in 2007.[^1]

Senator Stevens' interest in the [[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena|UAP]] topic may have been influenced by his own experiences as a pilot. During World War II, he flew transport planes for the Army Air Corps over the Himalayas, a region known for strange aerial phenomena. He openly admitted to having witnessed a "foo fighter" - the term used by Allied pilots to describe UAP - during one of his missions.[^1]

### Footnotes
[^1]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024.