The acting head of the Social Security Administration says he rescinded and apologized for an order that would have required Maine parents to register their newborns for Social Security numbers at a federal office rather than the hospital.

The Social Security Administration canceled contracts that allowed Maine parents to sign up newborns for Social Security numbers at the hospital. Then it uncanceled them.

Lee Dudek, the acting Social Security Administration commissioner, said in a statement that the agency was “correcting” a decision to change the policy.