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Federal statistics: the effect of program cuts on availability, utility and quality
Review of Public Data Use
|November 7, 1982
Summary
Federal statistical programs face cutbacks due to reduced government spending and legislative changes like the Paperwork Reduction Act. User charges also impact data availability, raising concerns among federal data users.
Area of Science:
- Governmental Affairs
- Information Science
- Public Policy
Background:
- Federal statistical programs have undergone significant changes impacting data resources.
- Legislative actions, including the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, have affected data collection.
- Shifts in governmental philosophy, such as deregulation and new federalism, signal changes in federal data activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review changes affecting U.S. federal statistical programs.
- To analyze these changes from the perspective of federal data users.
- To identify and classify user concerns regarding federal data resources.
Main Methods:
- Review of legislative actions and administrative changes impacting federal data collection.
- Analysis of user testimony presented to congressional committees.
- Classification of principal user concerns regarding federal statistics.
Main Results:
- Identified legislative actions (e.g., Paperwork Reduction Act) and philosophical shifts (deregulation, new federalism) as key factors reducing federal data resources.
- User charges are anticipated to further affect the availability of federal statistics.
- User testimony highlights significant concerns about the diminishing federal data landscape.
Conclusions:
- The availability of federal statistics is being reduced by legislative, philosophical, and financial changes.
- Understanding user concerns is crucial for addressing the impact of these changes on federal data resources.
- The article provides a framework for navigating the literature on federal statistical program changes.