The following is a statement from Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, president and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, on the October 1, 2025, US government shutdown.  

“As the nation experiences another government shutdown, we stand with women, who are the backbone of American families, and with the thousands of federal workers who the White House has threatened to fire instead of furlough due to the funding lapse. Behind this proposed “reduction in force” are real people with families who deserve better. At the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), we understand the economic implications of such a decision and desire a speedy resolution—but one that works for women and working families by ensuring access to affordable health care and doesn’t push them further into economic uncertainty.” 

“The delay in services that women and families rely on and the risk of federal workers losing their jobs are deeply alarming. Additionally—and critically at this tenuous economic moment—the nation will be denied the very data we rely on to gauge the stability of the economy and job markets, as agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census Bureau go dark.” 

“With economic anxiety felt by many and the specific challenges women are facing in this moment in history, access to data such as the monthly jobs and inflation reports is necessary for policymakers, such as the Federal Reserve, to support an economy that works for all.”