---
born: 1923-11-18
category: UFO & Anomalous Phenomena
died: 2010-08-09
location: Indianapolis, Indiana
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.
tags:
- Person
- UFO
- Politician
---

[Ted Stevens](/people/ted-stevens/) was a United States Senator from Alaska who, along with Senators [Harry Reid](/people/harry-reid/) and [Daniel Inouye](/people/daniel-inouye/), was instrumental in securing the initial funding for the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/advanced-aerospace-threat-identification-program/) (AAWSAP), the precursor to the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/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](/organizations/pentagon/). His support was crucial in securing the $22 million appropriation that established AAWSAP in 2007.[^1]

Senator Stevens' interest in the [UAP](/concepts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/) 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]

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