Washington Archdiocese Scraps Foster Care Program Over Gay Marriage Law

The Archdiocese of Washington has scrapped its 80-year-old foster care program, claiming it's no longer eligible to serve as an adoption provider due to the District of Columbia's pending same-sex marriage law.

Under the legislation, which legalizes same-sex marriage in the nation's capital and which goes into effect March 2, all outside contractors must recognize gay couples in the District.

In a press release posted on its Web site Tuesday, the archdiocese, which opposes gay marriage, said it had no choice but to transfer its foster care program to the National Center for Children and Families, or NCCF.

"We regret that our efforts to avoid this outcome were not successful," Ed Orzechowski, president and CEO of Catholic Charities, said in a statement.

The transfer includes seven staff, 43 children and their biological families and 35 foster families, according to the press release.