1.   And it said states should be rewarded with bonuses if they succeeded in moving people from welfare to work.

2.   Advocates for low-income people are pushing to make the reduction of poverty an explicit goal for the new welfare bill, and to reward states that do so.

3.   But the formula would gradually change over five years to reward states that increase the number of meals served in schools.

4.   It would also reward states whose programs proved most effective.

5.   Missouri, a swing state, played a key role in his victory last fall, and it is common practice to reward states for their help.

6.   Opponents said it would reward states for allowing their poverty rates to grow.

7.   Southern and Southwestern states were rewarded in the bill when Shuster and bill sponsors decided to include a funding distribution formula based on the most current census data.

8.   The formula they proposed would also reward states that reduced the number of abortions.

9.   The pending plan would reward states that do so and punish states that fail to make a good-faith effort.

10.   The state has been rewarded for its fealty to the Republican Party.