Becoming Constitutional

American Family Project began its activities in 2021 convinced that in order to help the family, members of Congress must realize that all the laws they enact and the money they authorize has ramifications for American families. Four years into this, we are convinced that a profound shift in outlook is needed by the voters of America and the members of Congress alike.

The best instrument for families to flourish is our own Constitution as written by our Founders and as interpreted by Orestes Brownson 150 years ago.

Unfortunately, the majority of people on Capitol Hill do not think constitutionally. Yes, there is some consideration whether new legislation will pass muster with the Supreme Court but few consider what harmonizes with the American spirit, what Orestes Brownson referred to as the Providential constitution, founded on the common good and reflected in our written constitution. We are convinced that nothing will change in Congress, particularly with respect to the family, until a large majority of the voting population insists on this type of constitutional dedication. To foster this, we have expanded our mission to promoting the thought of Orestes Brownson as an integral part of being A Voice for the Family on Capitol Hill.

In June, 2024, we sponsored the symposium Orestes Brownson and the Future of American Constitutionalism. We have inaugurated an Orestes Brownson Essay Contest for undergraduates and are co-sponsoring, with The Catholic University of America, a retrospective of Brownson’s thought in April, 2026 marking the 150th anniversary of his death. We have started an Orestes Brownson podcast (be sure to subscribe) and a book for high school students summarizing Brownson’s thought – sort of a civics catechism – is also in the works.

This is a project with tremendous impact for the future of our country that will take generations to achieve but will eventually lead to more personal responsibility from voters and our elected representatives, return of power from private interests to We the People and a restoration of strong families producing an abundance of thoughtful and prayerful citizens.

Secondarily, we would like to establish a new entity. We were instrumental in creating the Congressional Family Caucus in 2023 and we are convinced that our mission would be better implemented by a foundation or institute associated with the caucus. A small number of the board members would be members of the Congressional Family Caucus, but the bulk of leadership and staff would be independent. Sustained by private donations, the new entity could underwrite white papers, organize conferences, and hire paid interns who could be deployed at Congressional offices.

We look forward to your support in both these initiatives.