Contents

• Legislative History and Establishment in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980
• Overview of OIRA Administrator's Statutory Responsibilities Under the PRA
• Organizational Structure
• Administrator Appointment Structure
• Appropriations and Staffing
• Description of OIRA's Major Functions
• Review of Regulations
• Regulatory Review: Background
• Regulatory Review: Overview
• OIRA's Role in Implementing Regulatory Policy
• Review of Information Collections and Reducing Paperwork Burden
• Reviewing and Approving Federal Collections of Information
• Other Responsibilities Related to Collections of Information
• Other Authorities Related to Federal Collections of Information
• Information Policy
• Public Access and Open Data
• Federal Privacy Policy
• Statistical Policy
• Chief Statistician
• Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology
• Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
• Statistical Policy Directives
• "Trust Regulation"
• Issues for Congress

Summary

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is an entity within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OIRA was created by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1980, which restructured federal responsibilities related to the coordination of federal reporting to more broadly encompass the coordination of federal information policy overall.

The PRA provided that the OIRA administrator would serve as the principal advisor to the OMB director on federal information policy. The OIRA administrator is appointed by the President and subject to Senate confirmation. Specific areas of responsibility assigned to the OMB director under the PRA have been delegated to OIRA. In 1995, the PRA was amended to define OIRA's seven areas of responsibility, including (1) information resources management, (2) information collection and control of paperwork, (3) information dissemination, (4) statistical policy and coordination, (5) records management, (6) privacy and security, and (7) federal information technology. Pursuant to the statutory responsibilities listed in the PRA, OIRA has substantial responsibilities and influence over how agencies collect, use, and share their information. As the principal entity responsible for managing information resources within the Executive Office of the President, OIRA operates under a mixture of statute, guidance, and institutional practice.

Soon after OIRA was created, President Ronald Reagan issued an executive order that greatly increased the office's responsibilities by creating a process for OIRA review of most federal regulations. Under that order, most federal agencies were required to submit their proposed and final rules to OIRA for approval prior to publication. This represented a substantial increase in OIRA's responsibilities and in presidential control over the substance of federal agencies' policy-setting through rulemaking. OIRA review of regulations has occasionally been modified, depending on the priorities of each presidential Administration, but its centralized review functions have remained largely the same since President Reagan issued Executive Order 12291 in 1981.

Congress may consider whether OIRA's current priorities, staffing levels, and organization align with congressional expectations regarding its various functions.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is one of four statutory offices within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OMB is a component of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) that serves as a source of support to the institutional presidency and is responsible for numerous statutory duties related to executive branch agencies.¹ OIRA was created by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1980 within OMB.² The PRA provided that the OIRA administrator would serve as the "principal advisor to the [OMB] Director on Federal information policy."³ Since 1986, the appointment of the OIRA administrator has been subject to Senate confirmation.⁴

Specific areas of responsibility assigned to the OMB director under the PRA have been delegated to OIRA, including information resources management, review and approval of federal information collection and reduction of paperwork burden, agency dissemination of and public access to information, statistical policy and coordination, records management, privacy, and the acquisition and use of information technology (IT).⁵

In addition to the specific statutory responsibilities listed in the PRA, OIRA has substantial responsibilities and influence over federal regulations under a centralized review process established through executive order.

This report provides an overview of OIRA's history, staffing levels, and budget levels over time. It also briefly outlines the primary statutory responsibilities of OIRA's administrator. This report then discusses OIRA's major functions in four main areas: (1) review of regulations, (2) review of information collections, (3) information policy, and (4) statistical policy. Finally, the report discusses potential issues related to the oversight of OIRA that may be of interest to Congress.

Legislative History and Establishment in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980⁶

The need for more thorough federal paperwork and records management policy emerged in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries as increasing public and agency demands for information paralleled the growth of the federal government.⁷ Key legislative developments during this time included the Federal Reports Act of 1942, enacted to coordinate federal reporting, eliminate duplication, and reduce costs; and the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946, enacted to improve the fairness of administrative procedure.⁸ In 1974, in response to concerns that reporting requirements were placing "an unprecedented paperwork burden" upon members of the public, businesses, and state and local governments, Congress established a Commission on Federal Paperwork to issue recommendations to improve government statutes and policies related to information gathering, processing, dissemination, and management of information activities.⁹ Following up on the commission's final report and recommendations, Congress enacted the PRA of 1980, which required agencies to take certain "statutory steps needed to reduce and minimize the burden Government paperwork imposes on the public" and centralized certain federal information management responsibilities within the newly established OIRA within OMB.¹⁰ In implementing the act, OMB moved staff from other divisions focused on regulatory policy, wage and price stability, and statisticians into the new statutorily required office.¹¹

The PRA of 1980 restructured federal responsibilities related to the coordination of federal reporting to more broadly encompass the coordination of federal information policy overall, reflecting an emerging understanding that information management terminology should be "flexible enough to allow for future changes in technology and Government activities."¹² The accompanying Senate committee report defined information management functions as including general information policy, clearance and paperwork control, statistical activities, records management, privacy, federal automatic data processing, and telecommunications related to the collection of information. The committee also found that the "purpose of aggregating these functions within the single office is to establish a government-wide policy framework" for information management.¹³ The committee further noted that "improved management of information resources is the means to achieve the basic mission of [OIRA]; to reduce and minimize the public burden involved in providing information to the federal government."¹⁴ The PRA was subsequently reauthorized in 1995 and its scope extended to include federal contractors and tribal governments, among others. The reauthorization also revised certain OIRA and OMB authorities and functions related to information dissemination and agency oversight responsibilities.¹⁵

Shortly after OIRA's establishment, President Reagan issued Executive Order (E.O.) 12291 on "Federal Regulation," which added review of most federal regulations to the scope of OIRA's responsibilities.¹⁶ Although the original function of OIRA, as established in the PRA, was to oversee and enforce government-wide efforts to reduce the paperwork burden on the American public, today OIRA may be best known for its review of federal regulations.¹⁷

Overview of OIRA Administrator's Statutory Responsibilities Under the PRA¹⁸

This section identifies the primary statutory responsibilities of the OIRA administrator, all of which relate to federal information policy. As has been noted and will be discussed further below, the OIRA administrator also plays a significant role in regulatory policy. That role has largely been created through a series of executive orders and other executive actions, such as OMB guidance, not through statute.

The PRA required the OMB director to delegate responsibilities for the coordination of federal information policy to the OIRA administrator and empowers the administrator to promulgate rules and regulations to effect such coordination.¹⁹ The administrator is to oversee the use of information resources "to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of governmental operations to serve agency missions, including burden reduction and service delivery to the public."²⁰ Information resources is defined as "information and related resources, such as personnel, equipment, funds, and IT."²¹

Overall, the administrator is directed to develop, coordinate, and oversee federal information resources management policies, principles, standards, and guidelines. In addition, the administrator—in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, Archivist of the United States, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and director of the Office of Personnel Management—is to periodically review agency information resources management activities.²² Information resources management (IRM) is defined as "the process of managing information resources to accomplish agency missions and to improve agency performance, including through the reduction of information collection burdens on the public."²³

The PRA of 1995 established seven categories of responsibilities with respect to information management²⁴:

• 1. IRM. The administrator shall develop and oversee the implementation of uniform IRM policies; foster greater sharing, dissemination, and access to public information; initiate and review proposals for legislation, regulations, and agency procedures with respect to IRM; oversee agency integration of program and management functions with IRM, and issue IRM guidance for agencies.²⁵
• 2. Information collection and control of paperwork. The administrator shall review and approve proposed agency information collections, minimize the information collection burden and maximize the practical utility of information collected, and coordinate the review of information collections associated with federal procurement and acquisition with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), among other responsibilities.²⁶
• 3. Information dissemination. The administrator shall develop and oversee policies that apply to federal agency dissemination of public information and promote public access to such information.²⁷
• 4. Statistical policy and coordination. The administrator shall coordinate the activities of the federal statistical system; develop and oversee policies related to statistical collection procedures, data classification, and information presentation; and promote the sharing of statistical information with privacy rights and confidentiality pledges, among other responsibilities.²⁸
• 5. Records management. The administrator shall provide advice and assistance to the Archivist of the United States and the Administrator of General Services with respect to implementation and compliance with the Federal Records Act,²⁹ including records management practices for electronic information.³⁰
• 6. Privacy and security. The administrator shall develop and oversee policies related to privacy, confidentiality, security, disclosure, and sharing of information and oversee compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)³¹; the Privacy Act of 1974³²; and information security, information systems, and computer standards.³³
• 7. Federal IT. In consultation with the director of NIST and the Administrator of General Services, the administrator shall develop and oversee policies related to the IT functions and periodically evaluate major information systems. In addition, the administrator is to coordinate the development and review of federal procurement and acquisition of IT with OMB's OFPP.³⁴

These responsibilities mirror the federal information policy responsibilities of agency chief information officers.³⁵ Although OIRA is also known for its role in the regulatory review process, these regulatory functions are derived from executive orders rather than from statutory text such as in the PRA.³⁶ For more information on this regulatory aspect of OIRA, see "Review of Regulations" below.

The PRA additionally requires the administrator to "keep the Congress and congressional committees fully and currently informed" with respect to information policy coordination activities and submit, at least annually, a report on such activities to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report is to include information on the extent of agency efforts to reduce information collection burdens, improve the quality and utility of statistical information, improve public access to government information, and improve program performance and the accomplishment of agency missions through IRM.³⁷ Relatedly, statute further requires that OIRA furnish information to the Comptroller General of the United States as necessary for the discharge of his or her responsibilities concerning audit, evaluation, and investigative duties.³⁸

Organizational Structure³⁹

OIRA's internal organization has fluctuated over time, indicating changes in emphasis in terms of OIRA's role in coordinating different types of federal information. According to an OMB organization chart from the 1996 U.S. Government Manual, the first year for which an organization chart was included, OIRA was composed of five branches, which included (1) information policy and technology, (2) statistical policy, (3) human resources and housing, (4) natural resources, and (5) commerce and lands.⁴⁰ From 2005 reporting through at least 2014, OIRA was composed of four renamed branches: (1) information policy and technology; (2) statistical and science policy; (3) natural resources, energy, and agriculture; and (4) health, transportation, and general government.⁴¹ An additional branch covering privacy policy was established in 2016.⁴² In 2023, OIRA appeared to be organized into six branches: (1) information policy; (2) statistical and science policy; (3) natural resources and environment; (4) food, health, and labor; (5) transportation and security; and (6) privacy.⁴³ These shifts and name changes may reflect an evolving understanding or prioritization of OIRA's responsibilities. For example, the creation of new branches could indicate that OIRA viewed them as distinct policy areas from existing branches, that certain areas were being deprioritized compared with the previous branch organization, or that the accountability structures or expertise for these areas were sufficiently different from other areas.

Although OIRA appears to be organized into the thematic branches, a closer examination of staffing within these branches may further indicate how OIRA is leveraging its current resources against competing executive order and statutory obligations. According to one third-party source, as of January 2025, the percentage of total OIRA staff appeared to be allocated as follows:

• Information policy (12.9%)
• Statistical and science policy (17.7%)
• Natural resources and environment (12.9%)
• Food, health, and labor (14.5%)
• Transportation and security (6.5%)
• Privacy (1.6%)

The remaining 33.9% of staff were not listed as being associated with a particular branch or were housed within the office of the OIRA administrator.⁴⁴ Although two of OIRA's seven statutory responsibilities appear to have discrete branches (statistical policy and coordination, and privacy and security), it is unclear how the remaining five statutory responsibilities and the administrative rulemaking responsibility are divided among the branches.

Administrator Appointment Structure⁴⁵

In the PRA as originally enacted, the OIRA administrator position was to be filled through appointment by the OMB director. In 1986, however, following some disagreements over regulatory policy between the Reagan Administration and some Members of Congress, Congress made the position subject to Senate advice and consent.⁴⁶ A Senate-confirmed appointee filled the position for the first time in 1988.⁴⁷ A full list of Senate-confirmed and recess-appointed OIRA administrators is located in the Appendix.

Appropriations and Staffing⁴⁸

OIRA's budget and staffing levels have fluctuated over time (see Figure 1). In recent years, Congress has provided funds to OMB through annual appropriations in Title II of the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. These funds are included in the OMB budget's "Salaries and Expenses" (S&E) account. The S&E account funds the core operations of OMB, including the operations of OIRA.⁴⁹ For more information on OMB's S&E account, EOP congressional budget justifications (CBJs) discuss changes to OMB's staffing and workload at a high level.⁵⁰ In some cases, the CBJs offer more specific commentary on changes to OIRA's staffing or workload.⁵¹

Figure 1. OIRA Obligations and Full-Time Equivalent Employees FY1981-FY2025

Sources: EOP, congressional budget justifications, FY1982-FY2025, March 1981 through February 2025; OMB, Budget of the U.S. Government, Appendix, FY1995-FY2025 and FY1981-FY1990; Budget of the U.S. Government, Budget Volume, FY1991-FY1994. See Appendix for more information. Notes: Obligations are rounded to the nearest million. CRS was unable to locate the relevant obligation information for FY2001. Full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) calculate employee work years. One full-time employee working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks would constitute one FTE; two part-time employees each working 20 hours per week for 52 weeks would also constitute one FTE. The FTE totals correspond to direct FTEs and not reimbursable FTEs.

Overall, the funds in OMB's S&E account are dedicated mainly to personnel costs. In FY2023, OMB's S&E account obligations were $132 million in total. OIRA's FY2023 obligations were $15 million, which is approximately 11.4% of OMB's S&E account total obligations. OIRA's obligations are estimated to be $16 million in FY2025. For detailed information on OIRA's budget from FY1981 to FY2025, see the Appendix.

In FY2023, OIRA had an actual FTE count of 55 out of OMB's total 472 FTEs (approximately 11.7%). It is estimated that OIRA will have 58 FTEs in FY2024 and FY2025 out of an estimated OMB total of 510 FTEs (approximately 11.4%). OIRA had its highest staffing level in FY1981 (90 FTEs) and its lowest in FY2015 (43 FTEs). For detailed information on OIRA's staffing from FY1981 to FY2025, see the Appendix.

Description of OIRA's Major Functions

As discussed, OIRA's authorities derive from both statute and executive orders, and its internal organization has evolved over time. Because of this complexity, understanding OIRA's operations may be best accomplished by organizing them into groups of major functions. For purposes of this report, OIRA's major functions may be organized into four groups: (1) review of regulations, (2) review of information collections, (3) information policy, and (4) statistical policy.

Review of Regulations⁵²

OIRA plays a significant role in the centralized review of federal regulations, as established by executive order shortly after OIRA's creation under the PRA of 1980. Through this centralized regulatory review, OIRA has the potential to exert influence over federal regulations by ensuring that most federal agencies' actions are consistent with the President's policy preferences.

Regulatory Review: Background

In February 1981, President Ronald Reagan issued E.O. 12291, which greatly increased the scope and significance of OIRA's responsibilities to include reviewing regulations.⁵³ The order required covered agencies to send draft proposed and final rules to OMB before publication, and it required covered agencies to prepare and submit to OMB a regulatory impact analysis (RIA) for each "major" rule, which was defined in the order to include rules expected to have an annual effect on the economy of at least $100 million.⁵⁴ The order did not specifically mention OIRA, but the Reagan Administration decided to integrate the regulatory review responsibilities with the responsibilities that had been given to OMB under the PRA and delegated to OIRA.

In September 1993, President Bill Clinton issued E.O. 12866 on "Regulatory Planning and Review," which revoked and replaced E.O. 12291.⁵⁵ Although different from its predecessor in some respects, E.O. 12866 continued the general framework of requiring centralized review of most proposed and final rules through OIRA and RIA for rules expected to have large economic effects. In 2025, President Trump amended E.O. 12866 to also require that "independent regulatory agencies" submit their rules to OIRA for review, a policy choice that had been contemplated by earlier Presidents but never executed.⁵⁶

Regulatory Review: Overview

E.O. 12866 requires agencies to submit their "significant" proposed and final rules to OIRA, and OIRA's approval is generally required before the agency may proceed. Significant rules are those defined in E.O. 12866 as those that may

(1) have an annual effect on the economy of $200 million or more (adjusted every 3 years by the Administrator of OIRA for changes in gross domestic product); or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, territorial, or tribal governments or communities; (2) create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency; (3) materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in this Executive order.⁵⁷

E.O. 12866 gives OIRA up to 90 days to conduct its review of each rule.⁵⁸ OIRA review can be thought of as having three main elements. First, it ensures that federal agencies' rules are consistent with the policy preferences of the current Administration. In this way, OIRA review provides a mechanism for presidential control over agencies.⁵⁹

Second, for rules that trigger the requirement for an RIA, OIRA evaluates the RIA alongside the rule. E.O. 12866 requires agencies to conduct an RIA for rules falling into category (1) of the definition of significant—primarily, rules that may have an annual effect on the economy of at least $100 million. These rules are referred to as "economically significant" rules. OMB Circular A-4 instructs agencies on how to conduct an RIA to comply with this requirement of the E.O.⁶⁰

Third, OIRA coordinates an interagency review process. This review may involve sending a rule to other parts of OMB or other entities in the EOP. OIRA may also send a rule to other agencies and departments that may have an interest or shared jurisdiction over the policy area.⁶¹

OIRA's Role in Implementing Regulatory Policy

In addition to reviewing individual regulations, OIRA is also responsible for implementing the regulatory policy goals of the current Administration. For example, OIRA has taken a number of actions to implement various aspects of the President Trump's regulatory policy, including issuing guidance on the Trump Administration's "one in, 10 out" regulatory program and initial guidance for the independent regulatory agencies that are newly subject to OIRA review.⁶²

Review of Information Collections and Reducing Paperwork Burden⁶³

OIRA plays a central role in a long-standing desire within Congress to reduce the burden that the federal government's information needs impose on the public. While the information that agencies seek from the public may be useful and necessary for their proper performance, providing it imposes on the public a burden that is measured in terms of time, effort, and financial resources.⁶⁴ The PRA assigned OIRA the responsibility of minimizing the burden associated with federal collections of information.⁶⁵ Information collections include but are not limited to forms, applications, questionnaires, and surveys as well as recordkeeping and reporting requirements—including disclosures to the public or to third parties—that are called for in statute and in agencies' regulations. While these collections are often referred to as being a kind of paperwork, information collection burdens may also accrue from oral communications and from automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection methods that agencies may employ.⁶⁶ OIRA has defined what is and is not information for the purposes of information collections under the PRA.⁶⁷

Reviewing and Approving Federal Collections of Information⁶⁸

The PRA tasked OIRA with several responsibilities related to the federal collection of information. Perhaps chief among these responsibilities is reviewing and approving agencies' information collections.⁶⁹ In practice, this is sometimes referred to as the clearance process. OIRA must review and approve, or clear, all types of information collections conducted by an agency, whether mandatory, voluntary, or required to obtain or retain a federal benefit. The PRA's requirements for OIRA to review and approve collections of information apply to nearly all executive branch agencies.⁷⁰ This includes information collections that are called for in rules.⁷¹At a given time, OIRA can have more than 1,000 information collections in review by its desk officers.⁷²

OIRA considers a number of factors when deciding whether to approve an information collection. By statute, it must determine whether the information has practical utility and is necessary for the proper performance of the agency's functions.⁷³ While OIRA can disapprove a proposed information collection or require an agency to make substantive or material changes to the collection, it approves a vast majority of agencies' requests.⁷⁴ Over 10,000 information collections requests can have OIRA's approval at a given time.⁷⁵

Other Responsibilities Related to Collections of Information

In addition to reviewing and approving information collections, OIRA has other responsibilities that are related to federal information collection.⁷⁶ These other responsibilities include (1) developing and overseeing how agencies estimate the burden of federal information collections,⁷⁷ (2) maximizing the practical utility and public benefit of information collected by or for a federal agency, (3) coordinating information collections related to federal procurement and acquisition with OFPP,⁷⁸ and (4) publicizing resources for small businesses on complying with agencies' information collection requirements.⁷⁹

In addition, OIRA is to report to Congress on an annual basis on agencies' efforts to reduce information collection burdens on the public.⁸⁰ OIRA has usually accomplished this by issuing an "information collection budget."⁸¹

Other Authorities Related to Federal Collections of Information

The PRA gives OIRA certain authorities related to information collections. For example, OIRA can delegate its authority to approve an agency's information collections to a senior official within that agency if certain conditions exist.⁸² For example, OIRA has delegated its review and approval authority to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and to the managing director of the Federal Communications Commission.⁸³

OIRA is also permitted to direct an agency to make information collected available to another agency when it is not inconsistent with applicable law.⁸⁴ How often this occurs, however, is unclear. Additionally, OIRA may designate a central collection agency to obtain information for two or more agencies if the information needed by the agencies would be adequately served by a single collection agency and that such sharing of data between the particular agencies is not inconsistent with applicable law.⁸⁵

For example, the Census Bureau sought OIRA's approval for a multiagency attempt at using a nationally representative survey to track public opinion on a variety of topics that are of interest to numerous federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Labor, and Agriculture, among others.⁸⁶ Similarly, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said that it would ask OIRA to designate certain agencies that regulate banking as the central collection agencies for implied information collections contained within a certain CFTC rule.⁸⁷ The CFTC said that other federal banking agencies, such as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, had sought OIRA's approval of information collections that imposed the same substantive requirements on certain regulated entities, possibly creating duplicative information collections and additional burden on respondents.⁸⁸

Information Policy⁸⁹

OIRA has issued guidance that leverages its statutory authorities to provide direction and oversight of the federal government's information policy activities, including records management, information dissemination, and privacy and security. OMB's Circular A-130, concerning the management of information as a strategic resource, requires agencies to monitor and manage their information for privacy, confidentiality, and security risks but also to increase interoperability, openness, and transparency throughout the information's life cycle. The circular defines information life cycle as the stages of creation or collection, processing, dissemination, use, storage, and disposition to include destruction and deletion of the information.⁹⁰ In addition, OMB Circular A-108, concerning federal agency responsibilities under the Privacy Act of 1974, specifically requires agencies to coordinate and consult with OIRA on implementation.⁹¹

Public Access and Open Data

In certain ways, the information life cycle concept informs policies surrounding public access to information and providing it in open formats. Because the concept describes the ways in which information develops and transforms over time, the life cycle stage in which the requested information currently resides impacts whether and in what format the requested information may be provided. For example, records management policies originally conceived as applying to paper materials have now evolved to include digital information, and such policies include additional metadata and software requirements where paper materials had no need for those requirements. Resultingly, expectations for agencies to provide additional usable metadata or information compatible with different software may have changed or expanded. These format implications can have different impacts for agency use, sharing, and storage of the information.⁹² Building on these authorities, in 2013, President Barack Obama issued E.O. 13642, which required OMB to create an Open Data Policy to advance the management of government information as an asset.⁹³

Following the executive order, OMB issued Memorandum M-13-13 to encourage agencies to manage datasets contained in information systems in a way that improves the discoverability and usability of those datasets while weighing the value of openness against the cost of making those data public. Specifically, M-13-13 tasked the administrator of OIRA, the administrator of OMB's Office of E-Government, and the U.S. Chief Technology Officer (the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, or OSTP) to work to improve the interoperability and openness of government information.⁹⁴ As part of this effort, OMB and OSTP created "Project Open Data"—a repository of tools, best practices, and schema to help agencies comply with M-13-13—and the 2019 "Federal Data Strategy," which provides agencies with specific required practices to leverage the value of federal data.⁹⁵

Portions of these administrative directives were subsequently enacted into law in 2019 in the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act,⁹⁶ which requires, in part, that each agency make its data open by default—that is, publicly disclose data assets if they would otherwise be made available under FOIA—and ensure that such public data assets are released in machine-readable formats.⁹⁷ Under the act, OMB, via OIRA, is required to issue guidance on how to make data open and available and how agencies are to construct their data inventories.⁹⁸ In January 2025, OMB issued Memorandum M-25-05 containing this guidance, which also rescinded and replaced Memorandum M-13-13.⁹⁹

Federal Privacy Policy

Since the enactment of the Privacy Act of 1974—which governs federal agencies' access, use, and disclosure of information concerning individuals—policymakers have grappled with how to preserve individual privacy while also leveraging computerized information.¹⁰⁰ This information concerning individuals is sometimes referred to as personally identifiable information. Under the E-Government Act of 2002, the administrator of OMB's Office of E-Government has been required to work with the OIRA administrator to implement aspects of digital information policy, including requirements under the Privacy Act.¹⁰¹

The E-Government Act of 2002 also requires agencies to conduct privacy impact assessments (PIAs) when they develop or procure IT that collects, maintains, or disseminates information that is in an identifiable form.¹⁰² A PIA includes elements such as what and why the information is being collected, how the information will be secured and shared, and what notice or opportunities for consent are provided to individuals regarding the information collection and sharing.¹⁰³

With the expanding agency use of digital information and artificial intelligence, Congress may explore whether OIRA is able to keep pace with issuing guidance and assessing privacy risks for these emerging formats and technologies.¹⁰⁴ In particular, there are new risks to privacy resulting from increased access to information from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental sources.¹⁰⁵ OMB has described these risks as relating to the mosaic effect, where seemingly de-identified information could be collected and recombined to reveal individuals' identities.¹⁰⁶

Observers have also questioned what role private entities, such as commercial data brokers, may play in supplementing or comingling with government information and what recourse individuals have in the event of inappropriate use or quality of this third-party information.¹⁰⁷ Furthering this conversation, E.O. 14110, issued in 2023, required in part that the OMB director improve the effectiveness of PIAs in light of these developing technologies.¹⁰⁸ Given the requirement for the OMB director to update the PIA process and the overlap between the Office of E-Government and OIRA with respect to the Privacy Act and PIAs, OMB's organization may further blur the delineation of responsibilities with respect to privacy.¹⁰⁹

Statistical Policy¹¹⁰

The administrator of OIRA is responsible for coordinating the federal statistical system, which includes more than 100 agencies, organizational units, and programs.¹¹¹ Historically, the federal statistical system has included 13 principal statistical agencies (PSAs) whose principal missions are related to the collection, compilation, processing, analysis, and dissemination of data for statistical and other purposes. The federal statistical system describes these entities as recognized statistical agencies or units (RSAUs), a group of 16 entities whose principal mission is to produce statistics. According to OMB, there are also more than 100 other statistical programs "that produce and disseminate statistics in support of other mission areas and conduct a variety of evidence-building functions, including program evaluation, scientific research, data collection, policy and program analysis, and the provision of funding and other support for external research."¹¹²

RSAUs often operate independently from one another, where they may have their own budgets and conduct separate statistical activities. Though they are decentralized, the Chief Statistician is nonetheless responsible for issuing statistical policy directives that all RSAUs must adhere to and organizing advisory committees and councils centered on the government-wide performance of the federal statistical system, as discussed below.

Chief Statistician

The OIRA administrator, via authority delegated by the OMB director, is responsible for appointing the Chief Statistician.¹¹³ The position was created by the PRA of 1995 and heads OIRA's Statistical and Science Policy Office.¹¹⁴ The Chief Statistician has the broad responsibility of providing coordination, guidance, and oversight of the federal statistical agencies and their activities.¹¹⁵ The Chief Statistician also appoints the chair of the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM)¹¹⁶ and chairs the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP).¹¹⁷

Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology

The FCSM serves as an advisory board for OMB and the federal statistical system with the stated purpose of informing statistical-policy-related decisionmaking and providing technical guidance on statistical and methodological issues. It was originally established in 1975 by OMB's Office of Statistical Policy and later moved to OIRA's statistical and science policy branch. The FCSM is chaired by an appointee of the Chief Statistician, with other members selected by OMB.¹¹⁸

The FCSM conducts other activities, including sponsoring regular conferences in partnership with the Council on Professional Associations on Federal Statistics,¹¹⁹ hosting seminars and workshops that are often in collaboration with partner organizations, writing reports relating to the federal statistical system and the federal statistical community, and creating various subcommittees and interest groups¹²⁰ that focus on topics considered relevant to the federal statistical community.¹²¹

Interagency Council on Statistical Policy

The ICSP was introduced administratively in 1989 with the original goal of improving communication among heads of the PSAs.¹²² Congress enacted ICSP into law in 1995.¹²³ The role of the ICSP has since expanded to include advising and assisting the Chief Statistician. It consists of 27 statistical officials across executive agencies, including 11 heads of PSAs and the Chief Statistician,¹²⁴ who serves as chair, as authorized by the PRA of 1995¹²⁵ and the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act.¹²⁶

Statistical Policy Directives

OMB expects federal statistical agencies to follow minimum requirements as identified by its Statistical Policy Directives (SPDs) when the agencies conduct statistical activities.¹²⁷ Generally authorized under Title 44, Section 3504(e), of the U.S. Code, SPDs are issued as needed to ensure quality and coordination of federal statistical activities.¹²⁸ According to OMB, the statistical and science policy office within OIRA periodically reviews and revises SPDs to maintain their relevance and utility.¹²⁹

The fundamental responsibilities of RSAUs are established in OMB's SPD No. 1: Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical Agencies and Recognized Units,¹³⁰ which require RSAUs to:

• produce and disseminate relevant and timely 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.

These fundamental responsibilities are also established in the U.S. Code through the 2018 reauthorization of the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA).¹³¹ In 2024, OMB sought to further solidify these fundamental responsibilities while addressing concerns of declining public trust in federal statistics through the Fundamental Responsibilities of Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units rule, also known as the "Trust Regulation."¹³²

"Trust Regulation"

Declining trust in federal statistics is a long-standing concern that was previously addressed in the reauthorization of CIPSEA, where Congress found

[d]eclining trust of the public in the protection of information provided under a pledge of confidentiality to the agencies adversely affects both the accuracy and completeness of statistical analyses.¹³³

The Trust Regulation provides formal guidance for RSAUs and their parent agencies to carry out their fundamental responsibilities, aiming to improve public trust in federal statistics. Provisions of the Trust Regulation mean to establish greater autonomy from the RSAUs with the support of their parent agencies. Requirements of the Trust Regulation include consistent branding and websites across RSAUs, budget requests specific to RSAUs, decisionmaking authority for RSAUs in their statistical activities, ensuring equitable data access to users, and certain confidentiality protections, among others.¹³⁴

The original proposal for the Trust Regulation was published on August 18, 2023, with a public comment period that lasted until October 2, 2023.¹³⁵ The final guidance took effect on December 10, 2024.¹³⁶

Issues for Congress

Congress may consider whether OIRA's current priorities, staffing levels, and organization align with congressional expectations, especially as new questions concerning digital information and artificial intelligence emerge.

For example, OIRA operates under both statutory directives and executive orders, which do not provide clarity on how to prioritize review of information collections, information policy, statistical policy, and review of regulations. OIRA has described itself as a central authority for the review of proposed and final executive branch regulations, bringing into question whether OIRA views its other seven categories of statutory responsibilities as being of the same priority level as its rulemaking authorities.¹³⁷

With regard to OIRA's organization and staffing levels, Congress may inquire whether OIRA's internal organization and allocation of resources are consistent with congressional priorities or whether the current workload requires the current distribution. Congress could also provide additional clarity on which responsibilities should take precedence over others and consider whether this ordering should change over time.

Relatedly, certain statutory responsibilities require OIRA to cooperate with other offices within OMB, the EOP, and other executive branch agencies. In other instances, OIRA's responsibilities might partially overlap with the responsibilities of another agency, as is the case with OMB's Office of E-Government.¹³⁸ Congress may investigate whether OIRA sufficiently collaborates with other entities for its responsibilities regarding IRM, information collection, records management, regulatory review, and federal IT. Congress may also prescribe additional collaboration with other entities that have expertise in information dissemination, statistical policy, and privacy and security, as necessary, or Congress may reduce existing collaboration requirements in an attempt to clarify OIRA's primacy in certain areas.

Congress may also consider whether OIRA's current staffing levels are sufficient for carrying out its statutory and administrative responsibilities. When OIRA was created in FY1981, the office was staffed by 90 FTEs, which is the highest staffing level in OIRA's history. OIRA's staffing levels gradually declined to an all-time low of 43 FTEs in FY2015, though some fiscal years show small upticks in OIRA's FTE count. Since FY2015, OIRA's staffing level gradually increased to 55 FTEs in FY2023—approximately 61% of OIRA's original FY1981 staffing level. For more detailed information, see Appendix.

These staffing fluctuations, in combination with OIRA's changing responsibilities, have raised questions regarding the office's capacity to carry out its duties. OIRA's budget and staffing levels are allocated from OMB's totals. At various times in its history, some Members of Congress have attempted to reduce funding for OIRA in order to signal congressional displeasure with the office's actions.¹³⁹ Other observers, however, believe that OIRA's funding should be increased, arguing that a relatively small number of additional resources for OIRA could yield substantial benefits.¹⁴⁰

In addition, Congress may consider the impact that the recent inclusion of independent regulatory agencies for purposes of OIRA regulatory review may have on the timing, volume, and content of regulations pursued by those agencies, as well as what impact this change may have on OIRA's workload and resources.

Appendix. OIRA Nominations, Staffing, and Budget

Kathleen Marchsteiner, Senior Research Librarian, and Carol Wilson, Senior Research Librarian, contributed research to this report.

Footnotes