Molly Dahl from the Congressional Budget Office presented on issues around confidentiality and data access from a user's perspective. CBO relies critically on restricted-access data from other agencies to produce estimates using key models. When accessing such data, CBO aims for continual long-term access, secure remote access including from home offices, and clear consistent processes across agencies. The full presentation is available at a provided URL.

1. Congressional Budget Office
Presentation to the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology and
the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
October 15, 2020
Molly Dahl
Health, Retirement, and Long-Term Analysis Division
Confidentiality and Data Access:
A User’s Perspective
For further information about the venue, see https://tinyurl.com/y32dognn.

2. 1
CBO
CBO provides objective, nonpartisan information to support the federal budget
process and to help the Congress make effective budget and economic policy.
CBO does not make policy recommendations.
Each year, the agency’s economists and budget analysts produce thousands of
formal and informal cost estimates for proposed legislation, as well as dozens of
reports and other materials on a variety of topics.
Most of CBO’s work is available to the Congress and the public on the agency’s
website, www.cbo.gov.
CBO’s Role

3. 2
CBO
Key models used to produce estimates at CBO rely critically on restricted-access
data.
When making arrangements to use restricted-access data, CBO generally
aims for:
 Continual and long-running access;
 Secure access from CBO’s offices (or from home, in the work-from-home
environment); and
 Clear and well-understood processes that are similar among agencies.
Use of Restricted-Access Data