44 U.S.C. § 3563: Statistical agencies

produce and disseminate relevant and timely statistical information; conduct credible and accurate statistical activities; conduct objective statistical activities; and protect the trust of information providers by ensuring the confidentiality and exclusive statistical use of their responses. Each statistical agency or unit shall adopt policies, best practices, and appropriate procedures to implement the responsibilities described in paragraph (1). The head of each agency shall enable, support, and facilitate statistical agencies or units in carrying out the responsibilities described in subsection (a)(1). The Director shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. The term “accurate”, when used with respect to statistical activities, means statistics that consistently match the events and trends being measured. The term “confidentiality” means a quality or condition accorded to information as an obligation not to disclose that information to an unauthorized party. The term “objective”, when used with respect to statistical activities, means accurate, clear, complete, and unbiased. The term “relevant”, when used with respect to statistical information, means processes, activities, and other such matters likely to be useful to policymakers and public and private sector data users.