COPAFS, along with ASA and PAA, transmitted a letter to Congressional leadership expressing opposition to the unprecedented removal of public data over the past two weeks. The letter requests Congress take action to restore any data which has been removed, and ensure a similar data purge does not occur again. Over 230 organizations signed onto the letter, along with over 2,660 individuals.
February 11, 2025
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Minority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Protecting and Preserving Public Access to Federal Data
Dear Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson, and Minority Leader Jeffries,
We write to express our concern and strong opposition to the recent incidents in which public data have been selectively removed from federal websites, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Scientific and Technical Information and many other agencies. As you know, public data inform key investment and planning decisions in the public, private, non-profit, and academic sectors. Likewise, they are used to monitor the delivery of services that Americans depend on, including health care, education, and essential infrastructure. Removing or curtailing access to these data, even temporarily, erodes the public trust that federal statistical and scientific agencies have earned. These actions also deny the public of scientists and other independent analysts use of federal data so important to public and private sector leaders in their work. Further, their actions have real world consequences, leaving individuals, families, communities, and policymakers alike without access to secure, reliable federal data that they have paid for and expect to use.
We are also alarmed that this violation of trust through this restriction of access to public data was done without regard for legal and administrative precedent. Federal laws, including the Paperwork Reduction Act, Title 44 of the U.S.C., and the Evidence Based Policymaking Act, are but a few of the major laws governing the collection, dissemination, and protection of federal data. The Administration’s unprecedented action not only violates the spirit of these laws, but also their intent.
We call on Congress to demand the complete restoration of any federal data that have been removed and to work with the Administration to prevent any future purge or removal of data from federal agency websites and portals.
Thank you for considering our concerns and taking action to remedy the current situation and prevent future actions that would undermine the integrity of the federal statistical system and their data products.