Impeaching Lloyd James Austin III, Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

That Lloyd James Austin III, Secretary of Defense, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate: Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Lloyd James Austin III, Secretary of Defense, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors. Article 1.—Lloyd James Austin III, in his conduct as Secretary of Defense, has acted contrary to the trust and duty of an Officer of the United States and has degraded the honor of the United States by providing aid to its enemies: Secretary Austin took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, when he was sworn in as Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021. Secretary Austin failed to uphold his oath of office when he allowed a Chinese high-altitude balloon to fly over North American airspace unimpeded from January 28 to February 4, 2023: (1) Secretary Austin’s failure to demolish or obstruct the balloon when it was first detected resulted in the balloon hovering over Malmstrom Air Force base, which is one of three U.S. military sites that houses intercontinental ballistic missiles. (2) Secretary Austin failed to meet the duties of his office by either willfully ignoring available reports or failing to investigate the properties of an enemy balloon over U.S. military bases: in the months following the incident it was widely reported that the balloon had the ability to capture images and transmit signals despite initial statements from the Pentagon. Whether Secretary Austin knowingly or unknowingly 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 trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Summary: This resolution impeaches Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for high crimes and misdemeanors for failure to demolish or obstruct a Chinese high-altitude balloon flying over North American airspace from January 28-February 4, 2023.