TY - JOUR T1 - Is There an Effect of Incremental Welfare Benefits on Fertility Behavior? JF - Journal of Human Resources JO - J Hum Resour SP - 295 LP - 325 DO - 10.3368/jhr.XXXIX.2.295 VL - XXXIX IS - 2 AU - Melissa Schettini Kearney Y1 - 2004/03/31 UR - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/XXXIX/2/295.abstract N2 - This analysis exploits the variation across states in the timing of policy implementation to determine if family cap policies lead to a reduction in births to women aged 15 to 34. Vital statistics birth data for the years 1989 to 1998 offer no such evidence. The data reject a decline in births of more than one percent. The finding is robust to multiple specification checks. The data also reject large declines in higher-order births among demographic groups with high welfare participation rates. ER -