Department News
Government Statistics Under Threat: What�s at Stake and Why it Matters Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director of the American Statistical Association
February 23, 2026
Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director of the American Statistical Association
Friday, February 27, 2026, 5:30 pm
SBC 2022, Seidman Center
Abstract for the talk:
Before you finish your morning coffee, you've already relied on the federal statistical system half a dozen times — from the weather forecast on your phone to the inflation number on the news to the app guiding your commute. Federal statistics determine Social Security cost of living increases, guide billions in education funding, and move global financial markets. Yet most Americans have never heard of the 13 agencies that make this possible, operating on a combined budget of less than $11 per person per year.
Today, this invisible infrastructure faces serious threats: budgets that have lost more than 14% in purchasing power over 15 years, staffing losses of 15–20% at key agencies, and political interference — forcing some agencies to cut the very data products that businesses, governments, and families depend on.
In this presentation, I'll take you through a single day in American life to reveal how deeply federal statistics are woven into everyday decisions, describe the challenges threatening this critical infrastructure, and explain what the American Statistical Association is doing to defend it. You'll leave with a new appreciation for data you didn't know you were using — and a clearer understanding of what's at risk.