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| 16 Jun 2025 | |
| Press Releases and Statements |
The Data Foundation submitted written testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, urging strategic investment in data infrastructure that supports American workers, students, and families.
The testimony, delivered by President & CEO Nick Hart, emphasizes that federal data systems represent a strategic national asset requiring continued stewardship during ongoing organizational transitions across government agencies. Building on bipartisan foundations including the Evidence Act and Federal Data Strategy, the Data Foundation's recommendations focus on five key areas:
Supporting Essential Data Governance Functions: Investing at least $2 million per agency in Chief Data Officer and Evaluation Officer capabilities to enable program performance measurement and fiscal accountability.
Leveraging Data Infrastructure for Economic Competitiveness: Strategic support for workforce, health, and education data systems that inform policy decisions and drive innovation.
Implementing Proven Data Governance Practices: Standardized data quality protocols and interoperability standards that reduce administrative burden while improving service delivery.
Ensuring Privacy Protection Continuity: Maintaining established privacy safeguards under ESRA, WIOA, HIPAA, CIPSEA, and the Privacy Act during organizational changes.
Prioritizing Evidence Act Transparency: Implementing data inventories and open data by default to enhance congressional oversight and support economic innovation.
The testimony draws on the Data Foundation's Evidence Capacity Pulse Reports, which document organizational transitions across federal agencies since January 2025, and the organization's decade of research on federal data governance including annual Chief Data Officer surveys and comprehensive analysis of vital records systems.
"Strategic investment in data infrastructure represents a fundamental component of effective government stewardship and American economic competitiveness," Hart stated. "These investments build on legislative foundations and proven practices that transcend political cycles."
