The Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) is deeply troubled by the five-week partial government shutdown delaying the release of important economic reports. Timely access to data about the United States economy is critical to decision-making by our nation’s businesses and consumers. The continued partial shutdown is disrupting the vital flow of information as the Bureau of Economic Analysis and other data distributors have been forced to suspend operations.
The situation is made more complex and confusing by the fact that some agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are issuing reports, while the Commerce Department and BEA are not.
SABEW and its First Amendment Committee urge all parties to end the government shutdown so businesses and consumers have all of the data necessary to make informed decisions about the future direction of the economy, which represents roughly 25 percent of global GDP.
SABEW is the world’s largest organization dedicated to business and financial journalism. SABEW’s First Amendment Committee explores training and programming opportunities related to press freedom, transparency and access to data.
Learn more about SABEW’s First Amendment Initiative and join us in the conversation: #SABEW1stAmendment.
