Beth: Here at dataindex.us we are always keyed into the heartbeat of the federal data collection process. However, even our team found ourselves wondering what would happen during the government shutdown to federal information collections and data. To that end, we have brought in our friend and colleague, Chris Marcum to answer a few questions. I’ve known Chris since we were both graduate students at the University of California, Irvine and he has had a fascinating career in public service. Most salient for our discussion today, Chris was a senior statistician and scientist at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at OMB, where the Information Collection Request (ICR) process is governed through the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). (This conversation focuses mainly on data collected through forms and surveys and subject to the PRA, not other types of data like those collected through streamwater sensors or satellites.)

Chris, thank you so much for helping us out here. Tell us, what happens to federal information collections and data when the government shuts down? 

Chris: The government shutdown has significant impacts on our national data infrastructure by freezing the flow of critical data used by researchers, businesses, and public agencies alike. The shutdown can disrupt data collections, delay report releases, and hamper the public’s ability to access federal data. OIRA halts its review of ICRs and the PRA process stalls out pausing new collections and revisions to surveys.

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