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Events • August 17, 2023 

# Freeing American Families: Fertility and Family Policy 

As fertility rates fall in much of the world, many policymakers are considering expensive policies intended to raise birth rates and support families more broadly. But do those policies work, and should government play a role in trying to reverse this trend? And is the best way to support families an expansion in government programs or it is simply getting government out of parents’ way? Experts on fertility and family policy, **Vanessa Brown Calder**, **Chelsea Follett**, **Julie Gunlock**, and **Elizabeth Nolan Brown** will address these critical issues. In addition to discussing fertility trends, participants will consider government policies that make it difficult for parents to obtain the flexibility, resources, and peace of mind needed to thrive in their roles, including policies that drive up the cost of housing, childcare, and other family essentials.

## Additional Resources

- “[Freeing American Families](https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/freeing-american-families),” by Vanessa Brown Calder & Chelsea Follett
- “[A Fertility Plan for America](https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/08/a-fertility-plan-for-america/),” by Vanessa Brown Calder & Chelsea Follett
- “[Removing Government Barriers to Fertility](https://www.cato.org/commentary/removing-government-barriers-fertility),” by Chelsea Follett

[![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) 
This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). 

##### Featuring 

[![Media Name: v-calder-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/authors/crops/v-calder-cropped.jpg?itok=wGW-3cSB)](/people/vanessa-calder) 

##### [Vanessa Brown Calder](/people/vanessa-calder)

Former Director of Opportunity and Family Policy Studies, Cato Institute

[![Chelsea Follett](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Chelsea%20Follett.jpg?itok=t0sPC8WK)](/people/chelsea-follett) 

##### [Chelsea Follett](/people/chelsea-follett)

Research Fellow, Human​Progress​.org, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/chellivia) [ 

](mailto:cfollett@cato.org) 

![Julie-Gunlock-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-07/Julie-Gunlock-cropped.jpg?itok=8k5EOYMY) 

##### Julie Gunlock 

Director, Independent Women’s Network

[ 

](https://twitter.com/JGunlock) 

![elizabeth-nolan-brown.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-07/elizabeth-nolan-brown.jpg?itok=l3Wpr0Yg) 

##### Elizabeth Nolan Brown 

Senior Editor, *Reason*

[ 

](https://twitter.com/ENBrown)