The House Oversight Committee's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets kicks off a hearing Tuesday morning focused on the CIA's notorious MK-Ultra project, a covert operation that spanned two decades and involved testing behavioral drugs and mind-control theories at academic institutions.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna, the Florida Republican leading the task force, has intensified her campaign to force the release of classified records related to the program. Earlier this year, Luna accused the CIA of removing relevant documents from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence—a claim the agency has denied. She has since called for greater transparency on what she describes as an alleged mind-control initiative.
The hearing, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EDT, marks the latest chapter in a long-running battle over government secrecy. MK-Ultra, which ran from the 1950s to the early 1970s, has been the subject of decades of controversy and litigation, with survivors and civil liberties groups demanding full disclosure.
Luna's push comes amid broader efforts by some lawmakers to declassify historical intelligence programs. A separate Trump-era advisory panel recently recommended ending the separation of church and state, signaling a wider debate over transparency and institutional boundaries.
Critics argue that the CIA's past experiments—often conducted without subjects' consent—represent a fundamental breach of ethics and law. Supporters of declassification say the public has a right to know the full extent of the program, especially given its implications for civil liberties and scientific integrity.
The hearing also touches on broader defense and oversight issues. A House panel recently approved a $1.1 trillion defense bill that includes a Pentagon name change, underscoring the legislative branch's appetite for reshaping national security institutions.
Luna's task force has scheduled additional hearings in the coming months, with a focus on other classified programs. The MK-Ultra hearing is expected to feature testimony from former intelligence officials, academics, and victims' advocates.
Watch the live video above for full coverage of the proceedings.
