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Patrick A. McLaughlin

Patrick A. McLaughlin

Research fellow studying regulations and the regulatory process

Richland, Washington
pacificlegal
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Summary

Quantitative leader in regulatory measurement: McLaughlin conceived and leads RegData and the QuantGov platform, applying machine learning, NLP, and custom text‑analysis to convert regulatory text into industry‑specific, time‑series datasets that researchers and policymakers use to study regulation. quantgov+2
Academic and scholarly contributor: He has authored dozens of peer‑reviewed studies and academic contributions on regulatory economics, administrative law, and related fields, including the RegData paper and other scholarly work. repec+1
Policy engagement and public testimony: McLaughlin has served in senior research roles at the Mercatus Center, provided testimony before Congress and state legislatures, and worked in advisory roles to outside organizations, bridging technical research and policy recommendations. congress+2
Public communicator and commentator: He writes op-eds and commentary for mainstream outlets, appears on media such as C-SPAN, and maintains the Third Order Substack to explain regulatory research and advocate for data‑driven regulatory reform. c-span+2

Work

Education

Projects

Writing

Stephen Miran Is Right About This Big Fed Blindspot

February 1, 2026

Guest commentary on how regulatory burden can affect monetary policy and why regulators' actions matter for broader economic outcomes.

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A Fresh Start: How to Address Regulations Suspended during the Coronavirus Crisis

April 1, 2020

Policy brief proposing a systematic process for reviewing and reforming rules suspended during COVID‑19, recommending a Fresh Start Initiative modeled on the BRAC commission approach.

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RegData: A numerical database on industry‑specific regulations for all United States industries and federal regulations, 1997–2012

January 1, 2017

Academic paper introducing RegData, describing the methodology for counting binding regulatory constraints and assigning industry relevance; enables industry‑level analyses of regulatory accumulation.

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The consequences of midnight regulations and other surges in regulatory activity

January 1, 2011

Scholarly article analyzing episodes of surges in regulatory activity ("midnight regulations") and their consequences.

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Third Order (Substack blog)

Personal blog about the economics of regulation and deregulation, providing commentary and analysis on regulatory management and its effects.

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