ESA's FY15 Budget Request Supports U.S. Commerce Department Priority to Unleash More Government Data

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama's FY15 budget request for the U.S. Commerce Department's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and its constituent agencies, the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), reflects an important Department-wide transformation in the management of Commerce's treasure trove of data. The budget proposal positions the Department of Commerce at the forefront of the era of "Big Data" and clearly demonstrates the Department's commitment to unleashing more government data as outlined in the "Open for Business Agenda."  By making more Commerce data accessible and available, our businesses become more competitive, our governments smarter, and our citizens more informed.

"Our goal is to deliver a 2020 Decennial Census that is accurate, on time, and under budget," said Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Mark Doms. "The FY15 budgetary investments in emerging technology and new enumeration methods, along with Census' and BEA's efforts to utilize the data that Americans already provide, will enable us to reach that critical goal. We are committed to furthering public-private partnerships and working hand-in-hand with partners to ensure our businesses are more competitive, our government is even smarter and our citizens are very well-informed."

Specifically, the Commerce Department's FY15 budget proposal demonstrates commitments to this by investments in:

• BEA's ongoing efforts to improve and increase the usability of core statistical products like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Balance of Payments accounts;
• BEA's proposal to add new insights and information on America's small business sector, which stands at the leading edge of innovation and growth; and,
• The Census Bureau's drive to leverage new methods to reduce costs and burden on citizens in the 2020 Decennial Census, while maintaining the highest possible accuracy.

The Commerce Department's strategic vision to improve data-based services, decision-making and data sharing is evident in many of Census' planning efforts for the 2020 Decennial. Indeed, FY15 is a critical moment in planning, since investments made now to research, test and develop new methods are projected to yield up to $5 billion in savings later. By intelligently leveraging existing government data sources, the 2020 Census is expected to yield substantial taxpayer savings.

Cost-saving innovations include:

• New options to increase self-response, including online methods;
• Information citizens have already provided to the government;
• Emerging technologies to automate many operations and increase productivity; and,
• Data and technology to update address and map information that will enable innovative and efficient new methods of enumeration.

Similarly, BEA is meeting the challenge of the Department's strategic data goals head on. BEA will continue to support and update core statistical programs that provide the socio-economic data that are critical to the economy. Key programs include GDP, personal income and outlays (both state and local), corporate profits, annual industry accounts, travel and tourism spending, international trade, balance of payments, international investment position and multinational corporation financial and operating data. 

For more information on the Department of Commerce FY15 budget request, please visit: http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/budget/FY15CBJ.html.

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For more information contact: Jane Callen, 202-482-2235

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau