Governance

On January 14, 2019, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 ("Evidence Act") became law. The goal of the Evidence Act is to advance evidence-building functions in the federal government by improving access to data and expanding evaluation capacity.

The Evidence Act directs federal agencies to designate three Evidence Officials to ensure effective implementation of the law: an Evaluation Officer, Statistical Official, and Chief Data Officer. The Executive Director of the Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS), Marc Rosenblum, is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Statistical Official.

Statistical Official

The Statistical Official is responsible for directing and coordinating statistical policy for the agency. The Statistical Official serves as the:

• Agency senior advisor for DHS statistical policy, including establishing policies to:
  • Enable agencies to 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;
• Agency senior advisor for statistical techniques to ensure data quality and confidentiality; and
• Agency senior advisor for statistical procedures to implement desired policies and techniques systematically and efficiently.

The Chief Data Officer consults with the Statistical Official on data management. The DHS Chief Data Officer has delegated responsibility for statistical data management to the Statistical Official, including the authority to:

• Manage the Department’s statistical data assets, including the standardization of statistical data assets, sharing of statistical data information, and publication of statistical data assets; 
• Develop reference data standards for statistical data, including valid codes, official definitions, methodologies, formats, business rules, and applicable policy guidance; 
• Oversee the governance and implementation of statistical data standards; 
• Ensure that DHS statistical data conforms with data management best practices; 
• Provide support to the DHS Evaluation Officer for identifying and using statistical data to carry out their functions 
• Support the Department’s Performance Improvement Officer in identifying and using statistical data;
• Serve as DHS enterprise champion for statistical data quality, including by reviewing and reporting to the Secretary and Component Statistical Officials on inconsistencies or deficiencies in Component statistical data; and
• Ensure that the Department’s statistical data are made available in accordance with 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

Statistical Official Council

The Evidence Act emphasizes collaboration and coordination to advance data and evidence-building functions in the federal government by statutorily mandating federal evidence-building activities, open government data, and confidential information protection and statistical efficiency. DHS has a Statistical Official Council (Council) to enhance collaboration across its many component agencies.