Blogs

Every day, millions of Americans make decisions based on federal statistics , often without even realizing it. When businesses decide where to open new stores, when local governments plan roads, schools, and emergency services, when families compare cost of living across cities—they’re all relying on behind-the-scenes data from a network of federal statistical agencies that costs remarkably little to maintain. In fiscal year 2023, the entire federal statistical system—including the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and others—operated on a budget of about $6.8 billion . That might sound like a lot, but it represented ...

What is the Federal Register, you ask? GovInfo describes the Federal Register as “the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.” Many hearings and meetings are also announced in the Federal Register. For our purposes, think of it as the place where calls for public comment get posted. Because it covers all of the federal government, a single issue of the Federal Register may be several hundred pages. Thankfully, you can sign up for notifications on topics that interest you, so you don’t need to scan hundreds of pages ...

Hello federal data supporters! Here are some recent highlights from Forum members during October: ASA Citizen Science Initiative : The American Statistical Association is recruiting volunteers to monitor changes in federal statistical data products starting October 2025, with check-ins every 3-4 months to track shifts in data quality and availability. Government Shutdown Impact : The government shutdown affected public data access, with minimal new data collection occurring and very little reporting, though the public can still submit comments to Federal Register notices. Census Website Issues : The data.census.gov ...

Well, it’s been another busy month! Here are some highlights from community member posts in September: USDA Terminates Food Insecurity Survey : The USDA announced the termination of what it called a "redundant" food insecurity survey . Census Survey Threat : Section 605 in the FY26 appropriations bill would eliminate enforcement of mandatory Census participation and limit follow-up attempts to two, potentially leaving two-thirds of the country “uncounted.” Federal Register Website Issues : The Federal Register website experienced glitches , with the "advanced search" function suddenly stopping return of ...

Since 2013, PRB has maintained an American Community Survey (ACS) Data Users Group Online Community in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the past 12 years, the site has grown into a lively online forum with more than 7,000 members, who share information about ACS data, issues, resources, and events. We recently learned that PRB’s funding for this project will not be renewed. As a result, the ACS Online Community will shut down on September 30. Although our partnership with the Census Bureau is ending, we will continue to engage with ACS data users. PRB is currently developing a new “microsite” for ACS data users on our Federal Data Forum ...

Hello fellow federal data supporters! I ’m pleased to report that the Federal Data Forum recently reached a new milestone with over 5 00 members! Thank you for all your efforts to protect public data. Here are some highlights from community member posts in August : BLS Commissioner Fired : Dr. Erika McEntarfer was removed from her position as Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner after releasing an unfavorable jobs report, sparking widespread concern about statistical independence. Legislative Response : Rep. George Whitesides introduced the ...

On Friday, the president fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, after accusing her of deliberately reporting false numbers. Politicizing federal data undermines the integrity of the federal statistical system that has served the country for nearly 150 years. Multiple organizations have issued statements condemning Dr. McEntarfer’s dismissal and calling on Congress to respond immediately: The Friends of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Association of Public Data Users C ouncil of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics American Economic Association Here are some other highlights from ...

Hello fellow federal data supporters! As of today, we have over 400 members! Here are some highlights from community member posts in June: Major reorganization proposed : The President's Budget suggests reorganizing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Census Bureau at the Department of Commerce, though no specific details are provided about how this restructuring would work. Severe proposed cuts to federal statistics agencies: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Statistics budget line has been completely zeroed out . The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) also ...

Hello fellow federal data supporters! We’ve been delighted with all the forum activity during the past month. As of today, we have close to 300 members! Keep it coming. We recently learned that DOGE is pledging to go "one-by-one" through the Census Bureau's 102 surveys , so we expect more turmoil in the coming months. Here are some highlights from community member posts in May: Survey Question Removals : Multiple federal surveys have removed questions about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), including the National Survey of Children's Health (variable ACE12), Justice Department surveys , and PRAMS questionnaires. NAEP ...

Public data are under attack. For 95 years, PRB has relied heavily on federal data for our work, and we’re deeply concerned about recent threats to public data availability, timeliness, and quality. Many datasets have been altered, including data from the National Survey of Children’s Health and the Bureau of Prisons , and other data collections have been scaled back or suspended. For example, staffing cuts decimated the National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress—referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card”— will be scaled back substantially in coming years . Critical data collections like ...