Threats to the Federal Statistical Agency Ecosystem

Session Submission Type: Late-Breaking Roundtable

Abstract

This panel will examine a wide range of threats facing the federal data and statistical agency ecosystem, which serves as the empirical foundation for economic research, policy evaluation, and informed decision-making across government, academia, and industry. Panelists will explore the consequences of constrained budgets, workforce attrition, and declining survey response rates for the quality, reliability, and continuity of federal data. The discussion will also consider challenges to the independence and credibility of statistical agencies, particularly as political pressures intensify and demands for more rapid, localized, and granular data grow. In addition, panelists will assess how evolving privacy expectations, rapid technological advances, and the expansion of private-sector data sources are reshaping both the production and dissemination of official statistics, raising questions about sustainability, comparability, and public trust. Ultimately, the session will highlight what is at stake for evidence-based policymaking and identify potential strategies for strengthening and safeguarding the nation’s statistical infrastructure.

Policy Area

• Methods and Tools of Analysis

Secondary Policy Area

• Politics, Media, and the Policy Process

Organizer

• Jonathan Schwabish, Urban Institute

Speakers

• Erica Lynn Groshen, Cornell University

• Kosali Simon, Indiana University

• David Johnson, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth

• Jordan D Matsudaira, American University