In the United States, the federal statistical system (FSS) refers to a decentralized network of federal agencies which produce data and official statistics about the people, economy, natural resources, and infrastructure of the country. It is led by the Chief Statistician of the United States (CSOTUS) and the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy and is composed of 13 principal statistical agencies and 3 recognized statistical units, 24 Statistical Officials (across 24 major cabinet agencies), approximately 100 additional federal statistical programs engaged in statistical activities, and several cross system interagency and advisory bodies.
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- ⭐ Core Definition: Federal statistical system
- Federal statistical system in the context of U.S. Census Bureau
Federal statistical system in the context of U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the president of the United States. As of September 19, 2025, George Cook is the acting director of the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Census Bureau's primary mission is conducting the U.S. census every ten years, which allocates the seats of the U.S. House of Representatives to the states based on their population. The bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $675 billion in federal funds every year and it assists states, local communities, and businesses in making informed decisions. The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and police and fire departments.
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