ASA Supports
Independence of
Census Bureau
T
he ASA Board of Directors recently
endorsed Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s (D-NY)
landmark bill to make the U.S. Census
Bureau an independent agency in the federal gov-
ernment and its directorship a fixed, five-year
term. H.R. 7069, formally titled “Restoring the
Integrity of American Statistics Act of 2008,” was
introduced in September, and Maloney’s staff
assures the ASA leadership that the bill will be
introduced early in the new Congress.
“I’m pleased with the board’s endorsement of
the H.R. 7069 bill and grateful to Congresswoman
Maloney for championing the independence of
the Census Bureau,” said ASA President Sally
Morton. “Autonomy is key for all federal statisti-
cal agencies, and the ASA should do all we can to
support that principle.”
The bill was previously endorsed in a letter
signed by seven former directors of the census, who
together have served seven presidents, from Richard
Nixon to George W. Bush.
In introducing the bill, Maloney stated,
“[T]he time has come to recognize the Census
Bureau as one of our country’s premier scientific
agencies, and it should be accorded the status of
peers such as NASA, the National Institutes of
Health, and the National Science Foundation.”
The bill would take effect in January of 2012,
after the completion of the 2010 Decennial Census
so as to not interfere with preparations for that
event. It also calls for a five-year term for the new
The board also expressed an interest in further sup-
director of the census by nomination of the presi-
porting the principles in Maloney’s bill and agreed to
dent and confirmation by the Senate. A new inde-
send a letter to Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE)—who has
pendent census inspector general would be created
expressed interest in the bill—urging him to intro-
by the legislation, as well.
duce a companion bill in the new Senate. The ASA
In considering its position on H.R. 7069, the board
also will pursue other opportunities to advance the
was advised by a small group of ASA federal statisti-
ideas in H.R. 7069.
cal system experts that included Barbara Bailar, Janet
To read the complete text of H.R. 7069, visit www.
Norwood, Fritz Scheuren, and John Thompson.
opencongress.org/bill/110-h7069/show. n
JANUARy 2009 AMsTAT NeWs 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80