Findings and purpose

(a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The people of the United States, its financial markets, its businesses, and its policymakers rely on the timely, credible, and impartial data produced by Federal statistical agencies to make informed decisions. (2) The credibility of Federal statistics depends on public confidence that the data are produced by agencies that are free from political influence, manipulation, or censorship. (3) The heads of the principal Federal statistical agencies serve as the chief stewards of this public trust, and their professional independence is paramount. (4) Structures that grant operational and decisional independence, such as those established for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, provide a proven model for insulating critical government functions from short-term political pressures. (b) Purpose The purpose of this Act is to strengthen public trust in Federal statistics by insulating the leadership of principal statistical agencies from political interference through the establishment of fixed terms of office, staggered appointments, and clear, for-cause protections against arbitrary removal.