The arrival of the so called Department of Government Efficiency staff at the Department of Labor and other agencies raises concerning questions about the integrity of statistical data used to compile economic reports.
SABEW’s First Amendment Committee joins American Statistical Association Executive Director Ron Wasserstein in calling for the protection of data from outside interference. Undermining the integrity of data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and other agencies undercuts their mission to produce accurate reports for the public and the media. It also could undermine participation from individuals and companies who fear their data will be compromised.
“Our laws are clear about who should have access to data that businesses voluntarily provide, and we expect those laws to be enforced,” said Henry Dubroff, chair of SABEW’s First Amendment Committee.
The White House should publicly reaffirm that confidential information at federal statistical agencies won’t be shared outside the agency “to reassure the American people that they can trust these agencies with their information,” Wasserstein said in a LinkedIn post.
The information collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other agencies is the basis for reports used every day by businesses and citizens to make economic decisions. Undermining public trust in these reports will reduce, not increase, transparency in government and threaten the viability of work that is crucial to a functioning free enterprise system.
SABEW is the largest association of business journalists. The nonprofit organization advocates for the protection of the First Amendment and a free press.
