Military About Face: Bibles Now OK at Walter Reed Hospital

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center says it is rescinding a policy that prohibited family members of wounded military troops from bringing Bibles or any religious reading materials to their loved ones.

The Baptist Press said the decision to rescind the ban came one day after Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, denounced the policy on the House floor and called on President Obama to publicly renounce the military policy.

King blasted a policy memorandum from the commander of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which declared, "No religious items (i.e., Bibles, reading material, and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit."

Hospital officials quickly retreated and said they would rework their policy to make it "clear," but King said the military has some explaining to do.

"I don't think there's any excuse for [the policy] and there's no talking it away," the congressman said.