Cut to a graphic that says, "The Gore plan: promote responsible fatherhood," and shots of other fathers and children.

My Child and I is a program that educates inmates on issues regarding family responsibility, relationship building and behavior cycles to promote positive fatherhood.

Promoting marriage and fatherhood was supposedly a goal of the 1996 welfare law.

In a little-noticed bill reauthorizing welfare reform this year, Congress earmarked $750 million over five years for programs to promote "healthy marriages" and "responsible fatherhood."

The bill also provides millions of dollars to promote sexual abstinence and "responsible fatherhood."

Up to $50 million of this amount can be spent on activities promoting "responsible fatherhood."

In Baltimore, Joe Jones, who runs a program to promote fatherhood, is adding marriage classes to his curriculum.

In recent years, promoting fatherhood has become a mantra of public policy, but foster care practices toward fathers are little changed, Mr. Young said.

He also said he would "fight to promote responsible fatherhood" by creating programs that help low-income "dead-broke dads" find work so they can support their children.