Why It Matters
The federal government's network of 40 research data centers gives qualified researchers access to restricted-use federal data, but leaves Congress weighing whether that access is broad enough and whether confidentiality safeguards are adequate, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report. The report identifies three areas Congress may consider: geographic accessibility of the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) network; confidentiality protections and access trade-offs; and the network's overall governance structure.
The network has no locations in Alaska or Hawaii. Remote access is permitted only on a project-by-project basis, and the report notes that researchers not based near a site may find physical access more difficult.
The Big Picture
Congress's involvement in federal research data access grew from inconsistent confidentiality standards and the absence of a uniform application process across the statistical system.
The Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016 became Public Law 114-140 on March 30, 2016. The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 became Public Law No. 115-435 on Jan. 14, 2019.
The Office of Management and Budget formally established the Standard Application Process(SAP) requirements through memo M-23-04 in December 2022. A separate OMB rule covering statistical agency responsibilities, known as the "Trust Regulation," took effect Dec. 10, 2024.
Confidentiality rests on statutory baselines in Titles 13 and 44 of the U.S. Code and on Census Bureau administrative policies, including Disclosure Review Board guidance. The report says Congress might consider conducting oversight of whether those standards are effective and whether they are incidentally limiting reasonable access.
The CHIPS and Science Act (Public Law No. 117-167) authorized a National Secure Data Service (NSDS) demonstration project, which the report describes as underway. The National Secure Data Service (NSDS) could include a potential tiered-access framework.
The Bottom Line
The report suggests Congress could request an agency report on the feasibility of expanding remote access to FSRDCs and might conduct oversight of confidentiality standards and governance, but it stops short of recommending any specific action. The NSDS demonstration project's results, when available, would be the next development most likely to shape the policy choices the report outlines.
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