Science Policy
On Being Important
Steve Pierson, ASA Director of Science Policy
administrator of the Centers for Medicare Hill meeting and how to navigate the Hill.
and Medicaid Services) at JSM in Denver, Of course, Washington isn’t the only place
health care policy reform will also be a to visit with our elected officials or their
prominent topic in Washington next year. staffs, and we shouldn’t do so only when
A short ASA document would help policy- JSM is in Washington. So, we also will be
makers wade through the myriad studies. organizing campaigns for members to weigh
in with local visits, calls, and other commu-
Visit Congress—There is no better way
nications.
for statisticians to affect issues Congress
is considering than to have their voices Statements, Letters, Other Advocacy—
heard directly. To take advantage of JSM The ASA Board of Directors has issued state-
Pierson
2009’s location in Washington, the ASA ments or endorsed documents having to do
will be organizing a Congressional Visits with climate change and election integrity
A
n obscure philosopher once asked, “If
statisticians are important, but the
Day on Thursday, August 6, to advocate issues at its last three meetings and is consid-
public doesn’t know it, are they still
a topic of importance to statisticians (to ering statements on other topics. These are
important?” One of the philosopher’s stu-
be determined with input from the ASA an important way to be part of the policy
dents asked if it was sufficient to pronounce
Board of Directors). Mark your calendars debate. Further, as one will see on the ASA
one’s importance to achieve importance.
now. (Most Hill meetings are with staff, Science Policy web page (www.amstat.org/
As director of science policy for the
so Congress being in recess during the vis- scipolicy), the ASA president sends letters and
ASA, one of my primary charges is to inte-
its will only minimally affect the value of signs onto group letters in support of issues
grate statisticians into the policymaking
our meetings.) important to our members. The ASA staff
process. While students of the philosophy
Participants will be briefed the evening also perform a variety of advocacy activities,
of statistics may still argue the first ques-
before on the details of the issue we will including visiting congressional and admin-
tion above, we know that demonstrating
advocate, as well as how to have an effective istration offices, developing materials, and
importance is more persuasive than pro-
organizing member efforts.
claiming importance. For statisticians to
Fundamental to any ASA policy activ-
demonstrate their importance, there are
ity is my job to monitor the policymaking
many avenues to take.
“
‘There are those who say
process on a variety of issues and provide
input on the ASA’s stance, seek allies on the
they are important and
issue, and advance the best approach for
Policy Papers—Congress needs technical
those who demonstrate
the ASA.
advice. As I heard one of our members say,
“Statisticians are brokers of honest, unbiased
information.” ASA policy papers would help
they are important.’
bring statisticians’ expertise to policymakers.
May statisticians be
Congress will be considering significant
climate change policy legislation next year,
the latter
no matter the party in the White House. ”
.
Members of Congress and their staffs will be
bombarded with information from various
interest groups, much of which may be con-
tradictory. With little technical background,
they could be at a loss when deciding which
material to trust. A short consensus paper by
the ASA on select topics of climate change
adaptation and mitigation would be a wel-
come and valuable resource.
Similarly, as we heard from
Mark McClellan (former com-
missioner of the Food and Drug
Administration and former
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