The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to get involved in another potentially explosive social issue, saying it would decide whether the US government can cut off federal funding to colleges and universities that bar military recruiters from campus to protest the military's treatment of gays.

The decision to hear the case comes at a time when the US armed forces are struggling to meet recruitment goals. The US government, which lobbied hard for the justices to step in, says recruiting on college and university campuses is crucial in time of war.