§19085 National Secure Data Service

Summary

Create a National Secure Data Service demonstration project to build and test safe ways for government agencies to link and use data for official statistics. The Director must set up the project no later than one year after August 9, 2022, after talking with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the interagency committee under section 9413 of title 15. The project must follow the Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence Building’s recommended principles when possible, be run by or under a contract managed by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, work with Federal and State agencies (and other nations) to collect and analyze data for evidence-building under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, and keep a public website. Agency participation is voluntary. If run by contract, the contractor must be designated an “agent” under subchapter III of chapter 35 of title 44 and must follow the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018 and the Privacy Act of 1974. The project must use technologies and safeguards so raw data are not exposed to output users, no one party’s identifiable data is revealed, information about the data sources is not disclosed except in final outputs, only authorized analysts can run approved queries, and privacy risk assessments are done. It must use reasonable privacy measures, including privacy-enhancing technologies, to lower reidentification risk. Not later than 2 years after August 9, 2022, the project must report to Congress on its data protection policies, all linkage activities, how well it reduced risks and barriers, and, if effective, a plan to scale up. Up to $9,000,000 is authorized for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.