Story highlights Last week, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps leaders requested a delay to the July 1 deadline

Many Republicans in Congress are opposed to allowing transgender people to serve

(CNN) The Pentagon is delaying a decision on allowing transgender people to enlist in the military for six months, according to a memo obtained by CNN.

"We will use this additional time to evaluate more carefully the impact of such accessions on readiness and lethality," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote in the memo.

Mattis said "this action in no way presupposes the outcome of the review."

In 2016, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the ban on transgender people being able to serve openly in the military, but he said the process would occur in stages.

Mattis was facing a July 1 deadline for deciding on transgender recruits.

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