Evidence Capacity Pulse Report: July 31, 2025

As part of ongoing monitoring of the changes to America's evidence infrastructure, the Data Foundation has identified several critical developments since our previous reports. Recent organizational shifts across federal agencies and private sector firms continue to affect both the workforce and operational capacity for data collection, analysis, and evaluation activities:

1. Agencies advance open data plans: Although not all have been published, agencies are in the process of releasing open data plans required by the OPEN Government Data Act, and access to public data continues to expand via Data.gov. 
2. Key statistical leadership roles are filling: The White House and Department of Education announced the appointment of senior officials to the roles of Chief Statistician of the United States and Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics.
3. New system of records proposed for SNAP: The USDA invited comments on a “National Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Information Database” to support SNAP program integrity, which many states and organizations have responded to by calling for improved privacy protections and use limitations. 
4. Administration communicates artificial intelligence strategies: The White House published its new AI Action Plan, endorsed by the Data Foundation, which reinforces the role of Chief AI Officers in key data governance, privacy, and statistical activities. 
5. Supreme Court clears path for agency reorganizations: Court injunctions preventing the implementation of Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans have been lifted, with several agencies issuing new layoff notices that broadly impact data and evidence staff.

These key findings reflect the continuing evolution of federal evidence capacity and highlight the increasingly systemic nature of changes to America's data infrastructure. The Data Foundation will continue monitoring these developments to provide objective analysis of their impacts on government effectiveness and transparency, as well as impacts on private sector users.

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