¡°You guys have to help me understand why this baby wasn¡¯t taken out long before.¡±

On Capitol Hill Thursday, senators 4demanding answers from the Biden administration and the Pentagon. Officials admitting in the hearing that the balloon was capable of 5collecting signals intelligence and was operating with technology capable of monitoring US communications.

¡°It was able to 6loiter over our, our country for you know what, three or four days, including over some of the most 7sensitive missile sites and military sites.¡±

Officials also revealing that the balloon was part of a 8fleet flown over quote ¡°more than 40 countries across five continents.¡± The US expects to gain intel from recovered debris including wiring and antennas now being analyzed at the FBI¡¯s 9lab in Quantico.

¡°It¡¯s a gift from the Chinese. Um, now that, now that we will 10have it in our hands. We will be able to explain to everybody exactly what this is.¡±

Also on Thursday, the House of Representatives 11unanimously approved the symbolic 12resolution 13condemning China over the incident. Meantime, the State Department says it¡¯s exploring further action against entities linked to the balloon¡¯s flight into US airspace.

¡°We¡¯ll look at continuing these broader efforts to expose and to address the PRC¡¯s larger 14surveillance activities that pose a threat to our 15national security.¡±