The Statistical Abstract of the United States has been published 1878, 131 times. It is about to be eliminated. The 2012 edition is the last.

The U.S. Government spends about $3 Billion collecting data, but only about $3 Million creating the Statistical Abstract, which crunches this public data and makes it useful to decision makers, members of the media, librarians, and average citizens. This includes readily accessible statistics on agriculture, elections, population, health, labor, education, manufacturing, and much more. Such information allows the government to make informed decisions, any of which justify the cost of the Statistical Abstract many times over.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.

We ask the U.S. Census Bureau to restore the $3 Million funding for this vital public service.

For more information:

Visit the Statistical Abstract and see for yourself. It's free and full of information that is used to make sense of the way we live and work. http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

Read an opinion piece by Robert J. Samuelson in the Washington Post to see why this should matter to you. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-kill-americas-databook/2011/08/21/gIQAGJwBVJ_story.html