A group of U.S. governors has sent a bipartisan letter to Congress urging them not to place bans on aid to teenage mothers with children or mothers who have additional children while on welfare. Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson (R) and Nevada Governor Robert Miller (D) urged Congress to give states maximum flexibility in setting their own rules, reported The Washington Post. The paper did not list the names of all the governors who signed the letter.
The House and Senate Welfare bills effectively end guaranteed aid to children and turn welfare into block grants to states. The bills also limit aid to five years, cap overall funding and demand work after two years. The House bill goes on to deny fe deral money to teen-age mothers, refuses to give additional money to mothers on welfare who have more children and give states control of school lunch programs.
