Strengthening Federal Statistics
18. STRENGTHENING FEDERAL STATISTICS The Federal Statistical System (FSS) has reliably and consistent with system-wide priorities; and develop and impartially informed the nation about its population, con- oversee the implementation of Governmentwide statis- dition, and progress since its founding, beginning with tical policies, principles, guidelines, and standards. The the first constitutionally-mandated Census in 1790. The Chief Statistician chairs the ICSP, made up of the heads mission of the FSS is to collect and transform data into of the thirteen PSAs and one rotating member from a non- useful, objective information; making it readily and eq- PSA agency that conducts significant statistical activity, uitably available to government, private businesses, currently the National Center for Veterans Analysis and and the public. There are thirteen Principal Statistical Statistics. The ICSP provides strategic leadership for Agencies (PSAs—see Table 18–1) and almost 100 non- the FSS on system-wide priorities such as improving PSA statistical units spread across the Executive Branch researcher access to confidential data while protecting that generate statistics on such topics as the economy, privacy, increasing response rates on surveys while eas- workforce, energy, agriculture, foreign trade, education, ing the cost and burden on respondents, and acquiring housing, crime, transportation, and health. The PSAs and maintaining a highly skilled workforce. CIPSEA pro- are continuously developing new methods for collecting vides a common statutory framework for the collection, and combining data from multiple sources in order to ex- handling, and dissemination of confidential data and al- pand and improve the quality and timeliness of statistical lows agencies to assure respondents that their data will evidence needed to make important decisions in today’s only be used for statistical and research purposes.
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