Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA-27) introduced the Statistical Agency Integrity and Independence Act (H.R. 4907), legislation proposed in response to the President’s firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer in the summer 2025. It would restrict the President’s ability to fire the heads of the Census Bureau, BLS, National Center for Education Statistics, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, while also severely limiting the White House’s power and authority over them.
According to Rep. Whitesides, his legislation “asserts that a President may only remove the head of a federal statistical agency for cause, including proven inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance. It does not allow termination based on the substance, conclusions, or timing of any statistical data, report, or release prepared by the agency.”
“American consumers and businesses deserve independent and impartial data that they can trust from their government, and statistical agencies must be able to deliver this fact-based data without fear of political retribution,” he said. “As a business leader, I relied on accurate information to make decisions at every level of my organizations, and knew that my teams were giving me the data I needed — not wanted — to hear. Now more than ever, as our economy reels from the impacts of haphazard tariffs and instability, we need data we can trust. The President’s decision to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner solely because he didn’t like their jobs report sets a dangerous precedent, and I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in protecting the independence of our federal statistical agencies.”
Although this bill was introduced in early August 2025, the Census Project was delayed in analyzing it because the text was not released until January 2026.
H.R. 4907 has 4 Democrat cosponsors and awaits action in the House Education and Workforce Committee, House Oversight & Government Reform Committee and House Judiciary Committee.
Definitions (SEC. 3)
“Covered Statistical Agency” means “each of the following”:
(A) “The Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.”
(B) “The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.”
(C) “The National Center for Education Statistics, Department of Education.”
(D) “The Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.”
“Head of a Covered Statistical Agency” means “the Director, Commissioner, or Administrator who is the highest-ranking official of a Covered Statistical Agency.”
Appointment and term of office of heads of covered statistical agencies (SEC. 4)
(a) “Appointment.—The Head of each Covered Statistical Agency” would “be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate.”
(b) “Term.—The term of office for the Head of a Covered Statistical Agency” would “be six years,” with terms
“staggered to ensure that no more than two such terms expire in any given calendar year.”
(c) “Service after expiration of term.—The Head of a Covered Statistical Agency” would be able to “continue to
serve after the expiration of their term until a successor has been appointed and confirmed.”
(d) “Vacancy.—Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of the Head of a Covered Statistical
Agency occurring before the expiration of the term for which their predecessor was appointed” would “be
appointed for a full term of six years.”
Removal from office (SEC. 5)
(a) “Standard for removal.—The President” would be able to “remove the Head of a Covered Statistical Agency
only for cause.”
(b) “Definition of cause.—For the purposes of this section, the term “for cause” shall mean proven inefficiency,
neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. A determination of cause may not be based on the substance,
conclusions, or timing of any statistical data, report, or release prepared by the agency.”
Guarantees of professional independence (SEC. 6)
(a) “Final authority.—The Head of a Covered Statistical Agency” would “have final and unencumbered authority over the professional and technical decisions of the agency, including”:
- “The methodologies, procedures, and scientific processes used to collect and analyze data.”
- “The content of all statistical reports, press releases, and other official publications.”
- “The timing and scheduling of the release of statistical data, which shall be made public in advance and may only be altered for technical, non-political reasons, with any such alteration being accompanied by a public, written explanation.”
(b) “Personnel.—No political test or qualification” could “be used in the appointment, evaluation, or promotion of any professionally qualified employee of a Covered Statistical Agency.”
Transition provisions (SEC. 7)
(a) “Initial staggered terms.—To establish the staggered terms required by section 4(b), the initial appointments made under this Act” would “be for terms of varying lengths as determined by the President, provided that”:
- “The first three appointments shall be for a term of six years.”
- “The next four appointments shall be for a term of four years.”
- “The remaining three appointments shall be for a term of two years.”
- “All subsequent appointments shall be for a full term of six years as prescribed in section 4(b).”
