It appears the primary effect of such a law would not be to prevent
contact, it would be to silence witnesses. If enforced, the law would
prevent publication of contactee reports except under cover of anonymity,
and unleash a modern inquisition in the Land of the Free. However, it is
unenforceable, so obviously absurd and unfair that the public will refuse
to accept it. The citizens of the United States will greet it with a
resounding Bronx cheer and laugh it out of court, forcing it to be
repealed.
It should be replaced by clearly worded legislation, not open to
interpretation in a multitude of different ways, humanely relevant to the
contingency of E.T. contact, debated and passed by Congress openly instead
of slipped through "under the table" without the public being informed.
According to NASA spokesman Fletcher Reel, the law as it stands is not
immediately applicable, but in case of need could quickly be made
applicable. What this means is that it is ambiguously worded, so that it
can be interpreted either one way or the other, as the government desires.
It is certainly not a coincidence that Dr. Clifford held his press
conference during the period when the popularity of the film E.T. was at
its peak. As E.T. portrayed a type of extraterrestrial that was benevolent
and lovable, the inference is that the press conference was intended to
discourage attempts to communicate or fraternize with UFO occupants.
However, instead of having the intended effect, it backfired, causing
public furor. There may be some relationship between this fiasco and the
next semi-officially endorsed attempt to deal with the subject of
extra-terrestrials, the TV film V, which was featured with repeat
performances and maximum publicity by major networks worldwide. The aliens
portrayed in V are the most horrifying and repulsive nightmares imaginable,
who are defeated thanks largely to a CIA hit man specializing in covert
operations, the tough guy with the heart of gold who with the aid of the
handsome hero saves the human race. This is obvious and transparent
propaganda, designed to do what the government's widespread use of
dis-information, and Dr. Clifford's press conference about the absurd lemon
of a law already on the books failed to do: squelch attempts to communicate
or fraternize with UFO occupants.
One way to avoid widespread panic at the announcement of the news that we
are under surveillance by nonhuman intelligent beings with a technology far more sophisticated than our own is to point out that this situation is
nothing new, but has literally been going on for millennia.

you mean...my face?