allowed an enemy to collect data on U.S. military bases, his conduct proves him unfit for Office and shows a dereliction of duty. (3) Despite the balloon being tracked by the Pentagon when it entered Montana air space on January 31, 2023, Secretary Austin did not order the balloon to be intercepted. Moreover, Secretary Austin did not organize a briefing for Members of Congress until the presence of a Chinese balloon was publicly reported and Secretary Austin has never spoken directly to the American people impacted. (4) In the months to come, under the direction of Secretary Austin, Pentagon officials lied to the American people about the incident and the dangers posed to the United States. It was reported in December of 2023 that the Chinese balloon used a U.S. internet service provider to transmit data and that the Biden Administration intended to stay silent had American citizens not reported the balloon. As a result of Secretary Austin’s failure to act, an enemy of the United States was allowed to access and transmit data and images, threatening American national security. Secretary Austin showed a dereliction of duty by failing to promptly investigate, disclose, and eliminate a clear and present threat to the United States. Secretary Austin acted contrary to the trust and duty of the Office of Secretary of Defense in endangering American national security and speaking dishonestly. Secretary Austin repeated falsehoods not to protect U.S. interests, as they had already been compromised, but to mislead the American people. Secretary Austin has degraded the honor of the United States by making its sensitive military data available to our enemies with severely delayed recourse. In all this, Secretary Austin has shown himself unfit for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In endangering U.S. national security and lying to the American people, he has violated his oath of office and committed high crimes and misdemeanors. Wherefore, Secretary Lloyd James Austin III, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and