Economists Advocate for Funding Census Bureau and Other Statistical Agencies

Economists Advocate for Funding Census Bureau and Other Statistical Agencies

A group of economists has urged Congress “to safeguard the integrity of the U.S. statistical system by investing in its modernization” because this “moment calls for investment in the U.S. statistical agencies, not retrenchment.”

The economists’ July 29, 2025 letter continued: “Data provided by the federal statistical system are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. The data fuel decision-making across every sector of the economy and in every corner of the country. Families rely on the data to make some of life’s most monumental decisions, like purchasing a home. Workers rely on the data to acquire skills and discover opportunities. Entrepreneurs rely on it to start the right businesses in the right locations. Existing firms rely on it to invest in innovation and growth. State and local governments rely on it to deliver services and build infrastructure. Congress, the Presidency, and the Federal Reserve all count on timely, accurate, and granular economic data to make policy for the nation.”

Specifically, the letter called for Congressional appropriators “to grant the nation’s primary economics statistics agencies flat or increased FY 2026 appropriations in real terms. In the case of the U.S. Census Bureau, we call on Congress to fully fund both current and periodic surveys to ensure that base programs get the investment they need as Decennial Census preparations proceed. In conjunction, we call on the Executive Branch to explicitly embrace the agencies’ long-awaited modernization plans and grant them flexibility in spending the money appropriated to them. Statistical agencies should be trusted to procure the talent and technology they need to accomplish their missions.”