News Release

October 14, 2004

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Cato study grades welfare reform in all 50 states & D.C.

WASHINGTON -- Eight years after President Bill Clinton signed a landmark welfare reform bill, the Cato Institute will release a report card grading each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on how well they've implemented meaningful welfare reforms.

"Implementing Welfare Reform: A State Report Card," prepared by Cato welfare policy analyst Jenifer Zeigler, is a state-by-state analysis on the efforts by governors, legislators and other policy-makers to undertake reforms.

How did the states fare? Four received A's, seven received B's, 20 scored C's, 11 trailed with D's, and nine received F's. In one region of the country every state, except one, scored a D or an F. Large industrial states and sparsely populated rural ones received high and low marks.

"It is necessary that states reduce caseloads and poverty rates, but if they are not establishing sound welfare policies that will sustain self-sufficiency, many of those in need will never completely escape the system," writes Zeigler. "Over the past seven years, Congress has returned significant responsibility for welfare to the states. After decades of federally administered aid, states have finally been given the opportunity to show that they can do it better. With this report card, legislators can compare their programs to those of other states, observing both successes and failures."

The study will be released on October 19th.