SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court says the military should keep in place its "don't ask, don't tell" policy for now.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday granted the Obama administration's request for a temporary freeze of a California-based federal judge's order telling the military to stop enforcing the policy.
The 1993 law says gays may serve but only if they keep secret their sexual orientation.
Government lawyers sought to suspend the ruling while appeals were pending, arguing that it would pose a major problem for the military. They said it could encourage service members to reveal their sexual orientation before the issue is fully decided.
President Obama says he supports repeal of the policy, but only after careful review and an act of Congress.
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