As Hurricane Gustav loomed off the coast of Louisiana, thousands of impoverished people flocked into shelters, where some of them seemed unprepared to take care of their young children’s basic needs, forgetting to bring along diapers or medicine.

That heartbreaking scenario inspired Louisiana Republican State Rep. John LaBruzzo to start thinking about ways to stem generational welfare, in which many welfare recipients have children who also end up dependent on government assistance, according to the representative.

His idea — giving $1,000 to poor women to undergo reproductive sterilization by Fallopian tube ligation — is stirring up controversy among some medical professionals, who say that the proposal is offensive and smacks of long-discredited eugenics programs.