Presidential Commission on Federal Statistics
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| Presidential Commission on Federal Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Name | Presidential Commission on Federal Statistics |
| Formed | 1978 |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Chief1 name | Julius Shiskin (chair) |
| Parent agency | Executive Office of the President |
Presidential Commission on Federal Statistics was an ad hoc advisory panel created in 1978 by Jimmy Carter to review federal statistical programs and advise the Executive Office of the President on coordination among agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the National Center for Health Statistics. The commission's work intersected with initiatives led by Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office, the National Academy of Sciences, and stakeholders including American Statistical Association, Brookings Institution, and RAND Corporation. Its findings influenced later legislation and executive actions involving statistical standards, privacy protections, and interagency data sharing during administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
Background and Establishment
The commission was established amid concerns raised by reports from the National Research Council, debates in the United States Congress, and studies by the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics about duplication, gaps, and quality in federal statistics. Prompting events included controversies over the 1970s decennial census methodologies, disputes involving the Office of Management and Budget statistical policy directives, and recommendations from the Kemp Commission and the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government that highlighted the need for reform. Presidential action followed consultations with figures such as Joseph Califano, John G. Tower, and advisors from the Council of Economic Advisers.
Mandate and Objectives
The commission's mandate, as articulated in its executive directives, required assessment of statistical program design across agencies including the Department of Commerce, Department of Labor, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Social Security Administration. Objectives included recommending standardization of classifications tied to international frameworks such as those promoted by the United Nations Statistical Commission, enhancing data quality measures favored by the National Academy of Sciences, and proposing confidentiality safeguards aligned with statutes like the Privacy Act of 1974 and oversight by the Government Accountability Office. It also sought to advise on funding priorities that would affect the Census Bureau's planning for the 1980 United States Census and longitudinal surveys managed by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.
Membership and Organization
Chaired by prominent economist and statistician Julius Shiskin, the commission comprised appointed experts from academia, including professors affiliated with Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, and Columbia University, representatives from agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau, and stakeholders from American Statistical Association and Association of Public Data Users. Organizationally it operated through task forces focused on topics connected to economic measurement and public health surveillance involving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demographic research interacting with the Population Reference Bureau, and methodological issues raised by the National Center for Education Statistics. Administrative support was provided by the Office of Management and Budget staff and consultants from think tanks including Brookings Institution and Urban Institute.
Major Reports and Recommendations
The commission issued reports recommending consolidation of duplicate surveys between agencies such as the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, adoption of standardized industry and occupational classifications consistent with the North American Industry Classification System, enhancements to sampling standards echoing guidance from the National Research Council, and expanded confidentiality provisions reflecting principles from the Privacy Act of 1974. It recommended creation of interagency councils similar to structures later used by the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy and urged investment strategies endorsed by entities like the National Science Foundation to support methodological research. The commission's proposals referenced international comparability concerns raised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations Statistical Division.
Impact on Federal Statistical Policy
Following the commission's recommendations, subsequent administrations implemented reforms in statistical coordination through Office of Management and Budget directives, strengthened protections for respondent data in line with practices advocated by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and influenced budgetary decisions debated in the United States Congress appropriations committees. Changes included modernization efforts at the Census Bureau, improvements in labor statistics at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and procedural updates at the National Center for Health Statistics, shaping programs that interacted with agencies like the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service for administrative data use. The commission's legacy informed later panels and legislative initiatives addressing federal data infrastructure during the Clinton administration and the Obama administration.
Controversies and Criticism
Critics from advocacy organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union and scholars at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley argued that some recommendations risked weakening respondent confidentiality and enabling increased administrative data linkage by agencies including the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration. Congressional critics on committees including the House Committee on Government Operations and the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs raised concerns about potential centralization of statistical authority within the Executive Office of the President and impacts on agency autonomy for the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Debates also involved tradeoffs highlighted by the National Academy of Sciences between data utility and privacy, and disagreements with proposals from think tanks such as Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute about funding priorities.