Patrick T. Brown

Fellow

Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where his work with the Life and Family Initiative focuses on developing a robust pro-family economic agenda and supporting families as the cornerstone of a healthy and flourishing society.

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Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where his work focuses on developing a robust pro-family economic agenda and supporting families as the cornerstone of a healthy and flourishing society.

His writing has been published in The New York Times, National Review, Politico, The Washington Post, and USA Today, and he has spoken on college campuses and Capitol Hill on topics from welfare reform to child-care and education policy.

He has published reports on paid leave and family policy with the Institute for Family Studies, and edited an essay series featuring working-class voices for American Compass. He is an advisory board member of Humanity Forward and the Center on Child and Family Policy and a contributing editor to Public Discourse.

Prior to joining EPPC, Patrick served as a senior policy advisor to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. There, he helped lead research about how to make it more affordable to raise a family and more effectively invest in youth and young adults. He also previously worked a government-relations staffer for Catholic Charities USA.

Patrick graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in political science and economics. He also holds a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He and his wife Jessica have four young children and live in Columbia, S.C.

 

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EPPC Scholars Sign Joint Letter to State Legislatures Urging Action on Tech Policy

Patrick T. Brown

On February 15, EPPC scholars Patrick T. Brown and Clare Morell signed a joint letter with Brad Wilcox and Michael…

PDF / February 21, 2024

A Pro-Family Handbook for Georgia

Patrick T. Brown

Introduction Georgia is helping the Sun Belt become an economic powerhouse. With one of the nation’s most dynamic major metro…

PDF / February 1, 2024

A Pro-Family Handbook for Tennessee

Patrick T. Brown

Introduction The strength of a state is the strength of its families. Tennessee’s recent growth, dynamism, and promise has made…

PDF / February 1, 2024

A Pro-Family Handbook for North Carolina

Patrick T. Brown

Introduction The secret is getting out—North Carolina has emerged as one of the best states for families. The Tar Heel…

PDF / February 1, 2024

A Pro-Family Handbook for Texas

Patrick T. Brown

Introduction Everything is bigger in Texas—including its success in attracting families, its economic dynamism, and its potential to provide parents…

PDF / February 1, 2024

A Child Tax Credit Compromise for the Real World

Patrick T. Brown

The Wyden-Smith deal focuses specifically on families who make too little to benefit from the full amount of the CTC, particularly those with more than one child.

Articles

The Dispatch / January 30, 2024

Natalism Is Not Enough

Patrick T. Brown

Even secular natalists should be concerned about the empty pews, because marriage remains a very strong predictor of fertility.

Articles

National Review / January 25, 2024

What Journalists Get Right and Wrong About Declining Fertility

Patrick T. Brown

Perhaps the biggest change in American fertility since the Great Recession is that women without a college degree are now putting off having a child just like their college-educated peers have for decades. 

Articles

Institute for Family Studies / January 24, 2024

Religious Revival Isn’t Sufficient For Family-First Politics

Patrick T. Brown

There is unquestionably a relationship between a decline in faith and a decline in marriage and a decline in births.

Articles

FUSION / January 8, 2024

A Pro-Family Handbook for Florida

Patrick T. Brown

Introduction Over the past decade, the state of Florida has emerged as a leader in advancing conservative policies, and experienced…

PDF / December 15, 2023

Pro-Family Policy Priorities for States

Patrick T. Brown

Polling and Perspectives from the Sun Belt Introduction America’s system of federalism means that the issues that most directly impact…

PDF / December 14, 2023

DeSantis finally gets the message

Patrick T. Brown

In stump speeches, DeSantis has been increasingly willing to sidle up to directly criticizing Trump; this was the sharpest his elbows had been on a national stage.

Articles

CNN Opinions / December 13, 2023

On February 15, EPPC scholars Patrick T. Brown and Clare Morell signed a joint letter with Brad Wilcox and Michael Toscano of the Institute for Family Studies to state legislatures across the country urging them to take action to protect children from the well-documented dangers of unregulated internet access. The letter reads:

The problems that tech presents to kids and parents are not limited to online porn; empowering parents requires a broader approach. Some states now require social media platforms to obtain parental permission before opening a new account for a minor, a measure that 81 percent of Democratic and 84 percent of Republican parents support. Our polling also found that 77 percent of all parents supported requiring social media platforms to give parents the ability to access what their kids are viewing, and who they are communicating with. This would lead to fewer children falling down rabbit holes of extreme or harmful content.

Our two organizations have experts who have thought through the legal questions, the technical challenges, and the political ramifications of these bills. Our team has worked with states across the U.S. on ways to implement tech policies that prioritize parents. We are more than happy to discuss our approach to smart, targeted legislation that would withstand legal challenges and provide meaningful answers to parents frustrated by the potential impact of tech and social media on their teens’ physical well-being and mental health. And we encourage you to prioritize families as you consider the legislative proposals in front of you.


Clare Morell is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC’s Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Prior to joining EPPC, Ms. Morell worked in both the White House Counsel’s Office and the Department of Justice, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors.