This is the final episode of 2026! I hope you have enjoyed the show this year and also hope you have a great holiday season and happy new year. In this episode, I sit down with former Census Bureau Director Rob Santos to talk about the state of federal statistics, what’s threatening the quality and independence of federal data, and why surveys like the American Community Survey and decennial census matter more than ever. We dig into how census data are collected, how political appointees interact with career staff, and why attempts to limit data collection or redefine who gets counted can undermine everything from policy to local decision-making. Rob also reflects on his approach to diversity, communication, and public engagement while leading the Census Bureau. We close by looking ahead at what modernization should look like for federal statistical agencies in the years to come.

Keywords: Census Bureau, federal data, Rob Santos, statistical agencies, data quality, survey response rates, American Community Survey, decennial census, federal statistics, data integrity, data collection, public trust, policy data, government surveys, uncertainty communication, demographic data, administrative data, data modernization

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Why Federal Statistics Matter: Rob Santos on Trust, Data Integrity, and the Future of the Census