Commerce pushes unified data system and census overhaul to cut surveys and boost accuracy
Commerce officials announced plans to merge federal administrative records into a single database and proposed a census rule that would drop race questions and exclude certain immigrants from apportionment counts.
At the govDATAx conference, Commerce undersecretary Joyce Meyer outlined a strategy to break down data silos by building a comprehensive database of administrative records from the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Social Security Administration. The goal is to rely more on existing federal data and reduce the burden of lengthy surveys on taxpayers. The department’s Annual Integrated Economic Survey, which merged seven business surveys in 2023, is seen as a first step.
Meyer also highlighted a draft rule that would overhaul the census by removing race and ethnicity questions and excluding undocumented and non-lawful permanent residents from the apportionment formula, a move criticized as a potential voting-map manipulation. The proposal follows an executive order on fraud, waste and abuse signed by Donald Trump in March 2025, which urges agencies to share data, such as census microdata with the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Additional efforts include partnering with the U.S. Postal Service to improve response rates in test census areas in Alabama and South Carolina, and addressing concerns about differential privacy practices.
Why it matters
The changes could reshape how the U.S. counts its population and allocates resources, affecting representation and policy decisions.
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