The changes and additions reflect new circumstances, such as new forms of threats to data confidentiality and individual privacy. This third edition also adds an appendix that documents legislation and regulations adopted since 2001 that importantly affect the operation of federal statistical agencies.

The principles and practices for a federal statistical agency articulated here remain guidelines, not prescriptions. We intend them to assist statistical agencies and to inform policy makers, data users, and others about the characteristics of statistical agencies that enable them to serve the public good.

William F. Eddy, Chair

Committee on National Statistics, 2005