In his Saturday (5-4) radio address, President Clinton announced four executive orders aimed at teen mothers on welfare. Plans include requiring teen mothers on welfare to live at home with adults and stay in or return to school. Clinton would also give states the authorization to reduce welfare benefits for mothers who do not complete high school and to give bonuses to mothers who do. Benefits would also be reduced if mothers do not live at home, attend parenting classes or establish paternity of their children to get child support.
Women’s rights and welfare rights groups have been concerned about measures requiring teen mothers to live at home, arguing that the young women, some of whom are victims of incest, could be subjected to further abuse when forced to stay at home.
