WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Rep. Chip Roy, alongside Rep. Josh Brecheen, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and Sen. Tim Scott, led more than forty members of Congress, in a letter to the head of the Smithsonian demanding answers regarding an incident where pro-life Americans were expelled from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on January 20, 2023.
According to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), “Once in the museum, [the students] were accosted several times and told they would be forced to leave unless they removed their pro-life hats. The group all wore the same blue hat that simply said, ‘Rosary PRO-LIFE.’ Other individuals in the museum were wearing hats of all kinds without issue” and “The museum staff mocked the students, called them expletives, and made comments that the museum was a ‘neutral zone’ where they could not express such statements,”the letter reads.
It continues, As Members of Congress, we are unaware of any laws, rules, or regulations prohibiting members of the public from wearing pro-life hats inside Smithsonian office buildings. Furthermore, there is a large body of jurisprudence reinforcing citizens’ First Amendment rights on public property.
Congressman Josh Breechen (OK-02) stated “The Smithsonian is a federal entity that receives more than $1 billion of our taxpayer dollars each year. It is unacceptable that federal employees would trample on pro-life students’ First Amendment rights. That’s why we’re demanding answers to ensure this violation of the Constitution never happens again.”
House signers include: Chip Roy, Josh Brecheen, Keith Self, Jeff Duncan, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Mary Miller, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Barry Moore, Ralph Norman, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Debbie Lesko, Ronny Jackson, Scott Perry, Russell Fry, Anna Paulina Luna, Andy Ogles, Chris Stewart, Michael Guest, John Rose, Paul Gosar, Mike Ezell, William Timmons, Kelly Armstrong, Andrew Clyde, Warren Davidson, Greg Steube, Dan Bishop, David Rouzer, Rick Crawford, Kevin Hern, Ben Cline, Burgess Owens, Randy Weber, and Brian Babin
Senate signers include: Senator Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott, Rick Scott, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Marco Rubio, Mike Lee, Steve Daines, James Lankford, Roger Wicker, and Mitt Romney.
For full text of the letter please click here and below:
February 6, 2023
Lonnie G. Bunch III
Secretary
Smithsonian Institute
SI Building, Room 153, MRC 010
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Dear Secretary Bunch,
On January 20, 2023, thousands of Americans from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the March for Life, an annual march dedicated to promoting the beauty and dignity of every human life by working to end abortion—uniting, educating, and mobilizing pro-life people in the public square. For many participants the occasion was inviting, warm, and educational.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a group of pro-life Americans from South Carolina. Following the march, students from a Catholic school in Greenville, South Carolina were allegedly harassed by Smithsonian Institute employees at the Air and Space Museum for their pro-life and human rights affirming apparel and were expelled from the building.
According to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), “Once in the museum, [the students] were accosted several times and told they would be forced to leave unless they removed their pro-life hats. The group all wore the same blue hat that simply said, ‘Rosary PRO-LIFE.’ Other individuals in the museum were wearing hats of all kinds without issue” and “The museum staff mocked the students, called them expletives, and made comments that the museum was a ‘neutral zone’ where they could not express such statements.” [1]
As Members of Congress, we are unaware of any laws, rules, or regulations prohibiting members of the public from wearing pro-life hats inside Smithsonian office buildings. Furthermore, there is a large body of jurisprudence reinforcing citizens’ First Amendment rights on public property.[2] As a federal entity and the recipient of more than $1 billion in federal funds every year, there should be no debate as to whether the First Amendment applies to the Smithsonian. We are deeply concerned about this unjust expulsion of young Americans from museums—subsidized with taxpayer dollars—for wearing apparel that your staff disagreed with.
We request answers to the following questions by February 16, 2023. Please provide a separate response to each question below, rather than a narrative response.
- Were you made aware of the alleged incident said to have occurred on January 20, 2023?
- If so, when were you made aware of the incident?
- Has the Smithsonian conducted any internal investigations into the allegations?
- Please provide the names of the Smithsonian employees whose conduct is in question.
- What disciplinary action has the Smithsonian taken regarding this incident?
- If no action has been taken, please delineate the course of action the Smithsonian plans to take regarding this incident.
- Does the Smithsonian have any policy prohibiting pro-life sentiments from being expressed in its buildings or any policy deeming it a “neutral zone?”
- What efforts have you taken to ensure that the First Amendment rights of all Americans are respected at the Air and Space Museum and an incident like this never occurs again under your leadership?
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.