The Committee on National 

Statistics (CNSTAT):

Helping Improve Federal Statistics, 

Methods, and Practices for Over 50 Years 

Melissa Chiu, Director, Committee on National Statistics

OCTOBER 26, 2023 - FEDERAL COMMITTEE ON 

STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
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The National Academies of 

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

• Private, non-profit societies of distinguished scholars and scientists, elected by their peers to 

membership for outstanding contributions to research

• National Academy of Sciences established by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham 

Lincoln in 1863

• National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine founded 1964, 1970
National Academies’ Capabilities

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The three Academies work together to provide independent, objective 

analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve 

complex problems and inform public policy decisions

Provide Trusted, Consensus 

Advice Convene Experts

Manage Original Research and 

Analysis

Promote the Scientific 

Enterprise
Serving the Statistical Community

• Mission of CNSTAT is to provide advice to the federal government 

and the nation grounded in the current best scientific knowledge and 

practice that will lead to improved statistical methods and 

information upon which to base public policy. 

• Assist agencies with specific issues 

– Improve economic and social measurement

– Review and evaluate major statistical programs and surveys

– Improve statistical methods and estimates for policy use 

• Address system-wide and cross-cutting issues

• Expanding our reach and making our products more widely used 

and more useful to the statistical community

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Current CNSTAT Membership

 Katharine Abraham, chair, University of 

Maryland (NAS)

 Mick Couper, University of Michigan

 Diana Farrell, JPMorgan Chase Institute

 Robert Goerge, Chapin Hall at the 

University of Chicago

 Erica L. Groshen, Cornell University

 Daniel Ho, Stanford University

 Hilary Hoynes, University of California, 

Berkeley

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 Daniel Kifer, The Pennsylvania State 

University

 Sharon Lohr, Arizona State University, 

Emerita

 Nela Richardson, ADP Research 

Institute

 C. Matthew Snipp, Stanford University

 Elizabeth A. Stuart, Johns Hopkins 

University 
Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) – Portfolio

Topics include: 

• Data infrastructure for the 21st century 

• Blended data sources including 

administrative, commercial data 

• Privacy protection and ethics

• Estimation methods, e.g., seasonal 

adjustment, missing data methods 

• Survey design, questionnaire design, 

concept measurement

• Sampling 

• Data collection methods, modes

• Data quality and effects on evidence 

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Recent reports:

• Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency 

• 2020 census data quality, SIPP disclosure avoidance

• Supplemental Poverty Measure update

• Measuring sex, gender identity, & sexual orientation 

• Patient-centered outcomes research data capacity

• Genomic data and NHANES

• Consumer inflation statistics

• Transparency in statistical information

• AI and computation in educational assessment 

• Understanding the aging workforce (collab)

• Longitudinal studies of aging 

Standing group that manages a portfolio of work national statistics, data, and 

methods for the common good
Toward a Vision for a New Data Infrastructure for 

Federal Statistics and Social and Economic Research 

in the 21st Century

• Study 1: Toward a 21st Century National Data Infrastructure: 

Mobilizing Information for the Common Good

– December 9 & 16, 2021; Report published September 15, 2022

• Study 2: Toward a 21st Century National Data Infrastructure: 

Enhancing Survey Programs by Using Multiple Data Sources 

– May 16 & 18, 2022; Report published March 2023 

• Study 3: Approaches for Sharing Blended Data in a 21st 

Century Data Infrastructure

– May 22, 23, 25, 2023; Report expected fall-winter 2023-24

• Supported by the National Science Foundation – Thank you!

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Report Resources

Publications and resources

Reports

Report highlights

Policy brief

Private sector data brief 

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Interactive site

Accessible, digestible format 

FAQ section
CNSTAT Core Activities

• Meetings in DC in May and October

– Meet with selected statistical agency heads, chief statistician, and others

– Hold a luncheon with all the statistical agency heads and chief statistician 

to discuss current topic or issue

– Members identify important cross-cutting topics for study, develop 

prospectuses, and seek out funding for panels or workshops

• Convene public seminars in spring and fall 

• Convene periodic workshops of broad interest to statistical 

community

• Monthly newsletter 

• Produce new edition of Principles and Practices for a Federal 

Statistical Agency every 4 years

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 Flagship publication authored by CNSTAT itself

 1st edition, 1992; updated every 4 years beginning in 2001; 7th edition 2021

 Supports invaluable role of widely available, trustworthy, accurate, 

and timely government statistics

 Describes decentralized structure of U.S. statistical system

 2021 edition prescribes 5 principles (fundamental to a statistical 

agency) and 10 practices (for making the principles operational)

PRINCIPLES

Relevance

Credibility

Trustworthiness

Independence

Innovation 10

Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency 

(P&P) 
Principle 5

Continual Improvement and Innovation

Federal statistical agencies must continually seek to 

improve and innovate their processes, methods, and 

statistical products to better measure an ever changing 

world.

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Who Uses P&P?

• Federal statistical agencies and programs 

– To inform Cabinet department officials, advisory committees, Congress, 

stakeholders, and others

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (The White House) 

– Has cited P&P in multiple Statistical Policy Directives

• U.S. Government Accountability Office (legislative branch)

– Has cited P&P in many reports 

• It has been cited in statistical agency head confirmation hearings

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Resources

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Interactive Web Tool

Accessible, digestible format 

Report

One-Page Summary

Highlights
Revising P&P for the 8th Edition

• Questions and considerations –

• How have you used P&P?

• Content – How could P&P be more useful? 

– Are there important things missing that need to be added? Things that need more 

emphasis? Things included that don’t belong? 

– Online appendices of relevant laws, regulations, guidance 

• Resources and dissemination – improvements?

– Currently have 1- and 4-page summaries, interactive website

– CNSTAT will give briefings to staff or Department officials 

• Send comments to CNSTAT@nas.edu with “P&P” in subject line

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Seeking feedback from the Federal Statistical System 
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Melissa C. Chiu CNSTAT Director mchiu@nas.edu

Brian Harris-Kojetin Senior Scholar bkojetin@nas.edu

CNSTAT website, events, and projects http://www.nationalacademies.org/cnstat 

All CNSTAT reports available from National Academies Press (free) 

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/author/CNSTAT/

P&P main page and interactive site 

Send comments on P&P to CNSTAT@nas.edu with “P&P” in subject line

Sign up for email updates Select DBASSE – “National surveys and statistics”

Thank you!