The Department of Government Efficiency announced on social media this week that it has “terminated” five surveys, amounting to $16.5 million, conducted by the statistical agency for other federal entities, although it did not specify which surveys were affected. Some eliminated questions included those on alcohol consumption and internet usage at home, as noted in the post.
Other surveys are undergoing a “one-by-one” review, per a DOGE post on its X account on Tuesday, May 20. The Census Bureau did not respond to inquiries this week for comment.
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According to the post, it is quite likely that the terminated surveys included the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, which collected data for the Department of Justice, and the Ask U.S. Panel, an internet survey conducted in collaboration with the Department of Defence, stated Beth Jarosz, a senior program director at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization.
There is an established public process for amending government surveys, which involves providing notice and soliciting public comment. Canceling anything without following this procedure could violate the law, Jarosz indicated.
“These data belong to the public,” Jarosz emphasized. “Taxpayers funded the data collection, and they should have access to it unless they choose not to have it gathered.”
The Census Bureau engages the public with survey questions to assist Congress and federal agencies in law implementation or policy development, noted Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who advises on census-related matters.
“Isolated questions don’t support the point DOGE intends to make—that the Census Bureau isn’t performing critical and necessary work, which it is,” Lowenthal remarked. “The tweet implies that the DOGE staff lacks a deep understanding of data collection and the fundamental purpose of the Census Bureau’s mission.”
A more pressing concern is whether the Census Bureau will be prepared for test run-throughs next year for the upcoming decennial census, amid federal hiring freezes from the Trump administration and limited communication from the bureau regarding the timeline, Lowenthal added.
Next year’s tests for the 2030 census are scheduled across six locations: western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama. The census plays a crucial role in determining how many congressional seats each state receives and guides the allocation of $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding.
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“Delays in census planning are not easily recoverable,” Lowenthal cautioned. “The census timeline is very tight, and each phase relies on the completion of prior steps.”
Researchers and users of federal data are increasingly worried about the overall health of the U.S. statistical system due to disruptions caused by DOGE, which have led to canceled contracts and the loss of veteran staff with extensive institutional knowledge, remarked Georgetown professor Amy O’Hara, president of the Association of Public Data Users, in a recent online forum.
For example, as of the beginning of the month, the Census Bureau’s leadership structure had 18 vacancies. The agency’s acting leader, Ron Jarmin, has been filling in since the resignation of Census Bureau director Rob Santos earlier this year.
A report from the Inspector General last March highlighted the bureau’s challenges in hiring and retaining personnel necessary for conducting its surveys. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, disbanded advisory committees composed of demographers, statisticians, and advocacy group leaders who offered valuable expertise to the agency.
“There’s a significant amount of anxiety and frustration as the integrity of information is jeopardized due to shifts within agencies or programs,” O’Hara stated. “There’s a growing fear that the resources you have relied upon may no longer be accessible.”
