The Family Research Council issued a petition Monday over a ban on Bibles and religious materials at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Over 20,000 Sign Petition Over Banned Bibles at Military Hospital

Although Walter Reed, the military’s largest hospital for military personnel and veterans, says it lifted the ban on Friday after Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) gave a speech criticizing the move on the House floor, FRC says it’s not convinced.

FRC sent out an Action Alert stating, “While we're glad that hospital officials are working on changing the policy, the change has yet to be implemented. Given the recent track record of the Obama Administration's disrespect for religious liberty in the military, nothing is certain. We need your help to show military leaders that the American people will not stand for Bible bans such as the one at Walter Reed.”

FRC president Tony Perkins told The Christian Post Tuesday that in less than 24 hours after sending out the petition it has already garnered over 20,000 signatures. People are realizing this is not an isolated incident. We have increasingly seen “this type of action from this administration,” he said.

Last Thursday, FRC broke the news that the Navy issued new guidelines for friends and family visiting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed. The FRC received an email from an Army officer regarding the new orders, found buried in a four-page document about patient care.

The memo, sent out by Walter Reed Chief of Staff C.W. Callahan, states, “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading material, and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.” The rest here.