United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-08-09 monographic deposited born digital 62 p. GA 1.13:GGD-95-65 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65 P0b002ee180393ec6 f:gg95065 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65 GGD-95-65 Economic indicators Statistical data Interagency relations Income statistics Census Labor statistics Data collection operations Data integrity Economic analysis Information dissemination operations Council of Economic Advisors Economic Statistics Initiative Consumer Price Index Census Bureau Current Population Survey National Health Interview Survey NCHS National Health Care Survey National Performance Review BLS Labor Market Information Program BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Program BEA National Income Account BEA National Product Account OMB 2000 Chapter Report GGD

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the performance of the Bureaus of the Census, Economic Analysis, and Labor Statistics, and the National Center for Health Statistics based on selected National Academy of Sciences (NAS) guidelines. GAO also provided information on the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) role in coordinating and overseeing the statistical activities of the 72 agencies that constitute the federal statistical system.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the four agencies adhered, with only minor exceptions, to five of the seven selected NAS guidelines; (2) the NAS guidelines emphasize the importance of a statistical agency maintaining the credibility of its data and that it be perceived as free from political interference and policy advocacy; (3) coordination and sharing between federal, state, and local statistical agencies increased their effectiveness and efficiency; (4) in general, each agency had a clearly defined and well-accepted mission statement, cooperated with data users, treated data providers fairly, openly described to users all aspects of its data, and widely disseminated its data; (5) the agencies did not fully adhere to the guideline on protecting their independence from political influence because they did not always sufficiently communicate their procedures to data users; (6) the agencies could not fully coordinate with other statistical agencies because of statute limitations to protect data providers' confidentiality; (7) OMB oversight and coordination of agencies' statistical activities is limited by a lack of staff resources; and (8) OMB is revising its formal process for reviewing statistical agencies' budgets in order to allocate its resources for coordination more effectively. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65.pdf GAO/GGD-95-65 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-65 Chapter Report GAO/GGD-95-65; Statistical Agencies: Adherence to Guidelines and Coordination of Budgets; Economic indicators Statistical data Interagency relations Income statistics Census Labor statistics Data collection operations Data integrity Economic analysis Information dissemination operations Council of Economic Advisors Economic Statistics Initiative Consumer Price Index Census Bureau Current Population Survey National Health Interview Survey NCHS National Health Care Survey National Performance Review BLS Labor Market Information Program BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Program BEA National Income Account BEA National Product Account OMB 2000 Title 7 Section 2276 7 U.S.C. 2276 Title 13 Section 9 13 U.S.C. 9 Title 15 Section 176a 15 U.S.C. 176a Title 20 Section 1221e-1 20 U.S.C. 1221e-1 Title 22 Section 3104 Title 22 Section 3144 22 U.S.C. 3104 22 U.S.C. 3144 Title 42 Section 242 42 U.S.C. 242 Title 44 Section 3501et seq. 44 U.S.C. 3501et seq. Public Law 96-511 Public Law 102-240 Public Law 104-13