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GAO-24-106574 1 (2024-05-09)

handle is hein.gao/gaoqim0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters Key Takeaways Background The U.S. government needs evidence, including statistics, to help guide decision- making, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and determine where best to target resources. The federal government is also expected to ensure the quality of data used for these purposes. As we have previously reported, the U.S. territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) continue to face a range of economic challenges, including declining populations in all territories. Quality statistics are critical to helping the territories and federal agencies better understand and respond to these challenges. We were asked to report on gaps in data for the territories, the impact of such gaps, and any administrative or legislative actions that can be taken to address them. This report examines the extent and causes of territorial data gaps in publicly available federal statistical products, implications for federal funding to the territories resulting from data gaps, and examples of costs and benefits of addressing the data gaps. * Territories face many data gaps, primarily because federal agencies do not include them in many federal statistical products. A mix of cost, geographic, technical, and other issues contribute to these gaps. These gaps can limit understanding of the conditions and resource needs of the territories. * Territories have taken steps to mitigate data gaps through local data collection. Federal agencies also provide some forms of technical assistance to support statistical efforts in the territories. In particular, since fiscal year 2019 the Department of the Interior has provided over $60 million through a technical assistance program, some of which is to be used to improve statistical collections. * Treatment of the territories differs across agencies in the federal statistical system, and efforts to collect and report data on the territories are limited and uncoordinated. We recommend that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) develop a coordinated, government-wide approach for federal statistical agencies to use, in consultation with territories and stakeholders, to examine the costs, benefits, and feasibility of including territories in statistical products and, as appropriate, identify ways to address any data gaps. The U.S. has five permanently inhabited territories: American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and USVI. These territories have elected governors, territorial legislatures, and nonvoting members in the U.S. House of Representatives.' Each territory has a unique history and relationship with the U.S., including its own territorial laws and customs. Residents of the Page 1

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