Statement on the Appointment of Mark Calabria as Chief Statistician of the United States
Data Foundation
"The Data Foundation acknowledges the appointment of Mark Calabria as Chief Statistician of the United States. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the OMB Director has the statutory authority to select the individual who will lead the coordination of our nation's federal statistical system and ensure the integrity, objectivity, and utility of statistical information collected across government.
The Chief Statistician role has become even more critical following the enactment of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, signed by President Trump in 2019. This landmark bipartisan legislation -- including Title 3, the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) -- significantly expanded the responsibilities of Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units (RSAUs) and culminated in OMB's recent Public Trust Rule, which took effect in December 2024. Those agencies include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Bureau of Labor Statistics, among others. As stated in the final rule, 'public trust in federal statistics is essential to their value and use in informing decisions across public and private sectors.'
The Public Trust Rule establishes four fundamental responsibilities for RSAUs: producing relevant and timely statistical information, conducting credible and accurate statistical activities, conducting objective statistical activities, and protecting the trust of information providers through confidentiality protections. The Chief Statistician plays a central role in coordinating implementation of these responsibilities across the 16 recognized statistical agencies and ensuring they have the autonomy and resources needed to maintain public trust.
Given recent concerns about rapid changes in capacity and decision-making to federal statistical activities, the Chief Statistician's role in protecting statistical agency independence and relevance is vital. The National Academy of Public Administration's 2020 Information Policy Task Force emphasized the importance of sustained OMB leadership in coordinating data and evidence activities across government. With the new Public Trust Rule now in effect, this coordination function becomes even more relevant for ensuring statistical agencies can fulfill their fundamental responsibilities while maintaining the independence necessary for objective, credible statistical work. These are also themes embodied in the Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency that provide helpful guidance for the system, the Chief Statistician, and the field.
We also want to thank outgoing U.S. Chief Statistician Karin Orvis and the dedicated civil servants of the Statistical and Science Policy Branch at OMB for their tireless support and engagement with the federal statistical system and its stakeholders across the data ecosystem. Their expertise and commitment to maintaining the integrity of federal statistics and availability of data during transitions and organizational changes is invaluable to our nation's data infrastructure.
OMB leadership remains critical for prioritizing government open data initiatives and deploying responsible data protections that serve the public interest. As the American Statistical Association's "The Nation's Data at Risk" report demonstrates, there are significant opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and modernization across the federal statistical system. Building on the Trump administration's Federal Data Strategy foundation from 2019, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with OMB and working with Mark Calabria in this new capacity to advance the mission of the federal statistical system, support these improvement opportunities, implement the Public Trust Rule effectively, and support evidence-informed policymaking across government.”
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About the Data Foundation
The Data Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that champions the use of open data and evidence-informed public policy to make society better for everyone. As a nonpartisan think tank, we conduct research, collaborative thought leadership, and advocacy programs that advance practical policies for the creation and use of accessible, trustworthy data. Our activities proactively address emerging data-related needs in the country with the goal of devising realistic solutions, accelerating policy coordination, and advancing innovation. The Data Foundation is recognized by Candid Guidestar with the Platinum Seal of Transparency and received 4-Stars from Charity Navigator. To learn more, visit www.datafoundation.org. (LEI: 254900I43CTC59RFW495)
Nick Hart
Data Foundation
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