21.   But Douglas E. Howard, the new director of the state welfare agency, defended his plans.

22.   But as Wilson prepares to sign a new state welfare law early next week, California has found its way squarely back to the pragmatic middle.

23.   But late Friday afternoon, state welfare agency officials said they had second thoughts about whether a sufficient number of stores would accept the cards.

24.   But in state welfare offices, the focus was seldom on pregnancy prevention and almost always on work.

25.   But she sat through class first, and then called the sheriff, while a state welfare aide held her hand.

26.   But welfare rolls have started to rise this year for the first time since the law took effect, according to state welfare officials.

27.   Corporations as large as Lockheed Martin and Electronic Data Systems are bidding to privatize an array of state welfare services.

28.   Debbie Cheek, a state welfare administrator, conceded that the wrinkle in the new law was not exactly an incentive to become an American citizen.

29.   Federal officials argue the extensions to the two-year limit are in line with state welfare regulations.

30.   For all the good intentions of state welfare, it is private charity that does the most good.