Statistical Agencies: Consolidation and Quality Issues

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the federal statistical system, focusing on: (1) the quality of federal statistics; (2) how the federal statistical system's decentralized structure affects statistical quality; (3) whether consolidating the statistical functions currently housed in the Department of Commerce with those of other federal agencies could provide a more streamlined and effective federal statistical system; and (4) whether or not the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis benefit from being housed in the Department of Commerce.