The Navy on Tuesday buckled under pressure from social conservatives in the House and reserved its decision that would have allowed chaplains to perform unions of same-sex couples if the Pentagon moves to allow openly gay service members to serve.
Rear Adm. Mark Tidd told the Associated Press that his decision in favor of allowing chaplain to officiate gay unions has been “suspended until further notice pending additional legal and policy review and interdepartmental coordination.”
A group of 63 House lawmakers wrote to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus decrying the initial pro-LGBT equality decision, scolding, “We find it unconscionable that the United States Navy, a federal entity sworn to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States, believes it is their place alone to train and direct service members to violate federal law.”
The Navy now says its lawyers intend to review a legal decision that allowed chaplains to receive training to perform civil unions on military bases in states where such unions are recognized.
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