On Jan. 20, 2023, the day the national March for Life took place in Washington, D.C., security officers at the National Archives ordered multiple visitors to “remove their hats and cover their attire displaying pro-life messages,” according to a letter from acting Archivist Debra Steidel Wall obtained by The Daily Signal.

“This action was contrary to NARA policy,” she said. “The irony that this happened just steps away from the permanent display of the original Bill of Rights is not lost on me or any of the employees who proudly welcome more than one million annual visitors to the Museum.”

Wall was responding to a bicameral letter led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, demanding answers about the situation. She informed the lawmakers that the security officers involved in the incident are private contractors on a contract with the National Archives.

“Our vendor conducted its own investigation of the incident and determined a supervisor that it employed, who was working that day, provided instructions to other security officers who work for the same vendor that were contrary to our policy,” she explained. “The vendor has removed this supervisor from NARA’s contract, and that individual is no longer working in any NARA facility.”