44 U.S.C. § 3575 — Findings

Page 199 TITLE 44—PUBLIC PRINTING AND DOCUMENTS § 3576 Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective 180 days after Jan. 14, 2019, see sec- tion 403 of Pub. L. 115–435, set out as an Effective Date of 2019 Amendment note under section 306 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. PART C—STATISTICAL EFFICIENCY § 3575. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) Federal statistics are an important source of information for public and private decision-makers such as policymakers, con- sumers, businesses, investors, and workers. (2) Federal statistical agencies should con- tinuously seek to improve their efficiency. Statutory constraints limit the ability of these agencies to share data and thus to achieve higher efficiency for Federal statis- tical programs. (3) The quality of Federal statistics depends on the willingness of businesses to respond to statistical surveys. Reducing reporting bur- dens will increase response rates, and there- fore lead to more accurate characterizations of the economy. (4) Enhanced sharing of business data among the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Eco- nomic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics for exclusively statistical purposes will improve their ability to track more accurately the large and rapidly changing nature of United States business. In particular, the sta- tistical agencies will be able to better ensure that businesses are consistently classified in appropriate industries, resolve data anoma- lies, produce statistical samples that are con- sistently adjusted for the entry and exit of new businesses in a timely manner, and cor- rect faulty reporting errors quickly and effi- ciently. (5) Congress enacted the International In- vestment and Trade in Services Survey Act (Public Law 94–472), which allowed the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Anal- ysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to share data on foreign-owned companies. The Act not only expanded detailed industry cov- erage from 135 industries to over 800 industries with no increase in the data collected from re- spondents but also demonstrated how data sharing can result in the creation of valuable data products. (6) With part B of this subchapter, the shar- ing of business data among the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to ensure the highest level of confidentiality for respondents to statistical surveys. (Added Pub. L. 115–435, title III, § 302(a), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5549.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act, referred to in par. (5), is Pub. L. 94–472, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2059, which is classified generally to chapter 46 (§ 3101 et seq.) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3101 of Title 22 and Tables. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective 180 days after Jan. 14, 2019, see sec- tion 403 of Pub. L. 115–435, set out as an Effective Date of 2019 Amendment note under section 306 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. § 3576. Designated statistical agencies (a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are the following: (1) To authorize the sharing of business data among the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for exclusively statistical purposes. (2) To reduce the paperwork burdens im- posed on businesses that provide requested in- formation to the Federal Government. (3) To improve the comparability and accu- racy of Federal economic statistics by allow- ing the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to update sample frames, develop consistent classifications of establishments and companies into industries, improve cov- erage, and reconcile significant differences in data produced by the three agencies. (4) To increase understanding of the United States economy, especially for key industry and regional statistics, to develop more accu- rate measures of the impact of technology on productivity growth, and to enhance the reli- ability of the Nation’s most important eco- nomic indicators, such as the National Income and Product Accounts. (b) RESPONSIBILITIES OF DESIGNATED STATIS- TICAL AGENCIES.—The head of each of the Des- ignated Statistical Agencies shall— (1) identify opportunities to eliminate dupli- cation and otherwise reduce reporting burden and cost imposed on the public in providing in- formation for statistical purposes; (2) enter into joint statistical projects to im- prove the quality and reduce the cost of statis- tical programs; and (3) protect the confidentiality of individ- ually identifiable information acquired for statistical purposes by adhering to safeguard principles, including— (A) emphasizing to their officers, employ- ees, and agents the importance of protecting the confidentiality of information in cases where the identity of individual respondents can reasonably be inferred by either direct or indirect means; (B) training their officers, employees, and agents in their legal obligations to protect the confidentiality of individually identifi- able information and in the procedures that must be followed to provide access to such information; (C) implementing appropriate measures to assure the physical and electronic security of confidential data; (D) establishing a system of records that identifies individuals accessing confidential