In the early hours of March 31, the Treasury Department pushed out an update to USASpending.gov, one of the federal government’s premier open data platforms, but instead of ushering in improvements or new capabilities, changes to the massive database tool stripped the site of some critical functionality.
The website, which is managed by Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, provides checkbook-level data on how money is spent at each agency and department. It has long been touted as a cornerstone of the White House’s Open Government and Accountable Government initiatives.
