---
kind: "section"
citation: "44 U.S.C. § 3520"
title: "44"
title_heading: "Public Printing and Documents"
number: "3520"
heading: "Chief Data Officers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/44/3520"
units:
  - "Chapter 35 — Coordination of Federal Information Policy"
  - "Subchapter I — Federal Information Policy"
---

# §3520. Chief Data Officers

- (a) **Establishment.—** The head of each [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall designate a nonpolitical appointee employee in the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) as the Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1).
- (b) **Qualifications.—** The Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of an [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall be designated on the basis of demonstrated training and experience in [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) management, governance (including creation, application, and maintenance of [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) standards), collection, analysis, protection, use, and dissemination, including with respect to any statistical and related techniques to protect and de-identify confidential [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16).
- (c) **Functions.—** The Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of an [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) be responsible for lifecycle [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) management;
  - (2) coordinate with any official in the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) responsible for using, protecting, disseminating, and generating [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) to ensure that the [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) needs of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) are met;
  - (3) manage [data assets](/usc/44/3502.md?p=17) of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1), including the standardization of [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) format, sharing of [data assets](/usc/44/3502.md?p=17), and publication of [data assets](/usc/44/3502.md?p=17) in accordance with applicable law;
  - (4) in carrying out the requirements under paragraphs [(3)](#c-3) and [(5)](#c-5), consult with any statistical official of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) (as designated under [section 314 of title 5](/usc/5/314.md));
  - (5) carry out the requirements of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) under subsections [(b)](/usc/44/3506.md?p=b) through [(d)](/usc/44/3506.md?p=d), [(f)](/usc/44/3506.md?p=f), and [(i)](/usc/44/3506.md?p=i) of section 3506, [section 3507](/usc/44/3507.md), and [section 3511](/usc/44/3511.md);
  - (6) ensure that, to the extent practicable, [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) conforms with [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) management best practices;
  - (7) engage [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) employees, the public, and contractors in using [public data assets](/usc/44/3502.md?p=22) and encourage collaborative approaches on improving [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) use;
  - (8) support the Performance Improvement Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) in identifying and using [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) to carry out the functions described in [section 1124(a)(2) of title 31](/usc/31/1124.md?p=a-2);
  - (9) support the Evaluation Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) in obtaining [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) to carry out the functions described in [section 313(d) of title 5](/usc/5/313.md?p=d);
  - (10) review the impact of the infrastructure of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) on [data asset](/usc/44/3502.md?p=17) accessibility and coordinate with the Chief Information Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) to improve such infrastructure to reduce barriers that inhibit [data asset](/usc/44/3502.md?p=17) accessibility;
  - (11) ensure that, to the extent practicable, the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) maximizes the use of [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) in the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1), including for the production of evidence (as defined in [section 3561](/usc/44/3561.md)), cybersecurity, and the improvement of [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) operations;
  - (12) identify points of contact for roles and responsibilities related to open [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) use and implementation (as required by the [Director](/usc/44/3502.md?p=4));
  - (13) serve as the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) liaison to other [agencies](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) and the Office of Management and Budget on the best way to use existing [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) for statistical purposes (as defined in [section 3561](/usc/44/3561.md)); and
  - (14) comply with any regulation and guidance issued under subchapter III, including the acquisition and maintenance of any required certification and training.
- (d) **Delegation of Responsibilities.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** To the extent necessary to comply with [statistical laws](/usc/44/3502.md?p=23), the Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of an [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall delegate any responsibility under [subsection (c)](#c) to the head of a statistical [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) or unit (as defined in [section 3561](/usc/44/3561.md)) within the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Consultation.—** To the extent permissible under law, the individual to whom a responsibility has been delegated under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall consult with the Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) in carrying out such responsibility.
  - (3) **Deference.—** The Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall defer to the individual to whom a responsibility has been delegated under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) regarding the necessary delegation of such responsibility with respect to any [data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) acquired, maintained, or disseminated by the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) under applicable statistical law.
- (e) **Reports.—** The Chief [Data](/usc/44/3502.md?p=16) Officer of an [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives an annual report on the compliance of the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) with the requirements of this subchapter, including information on each requirement that the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) could not carry out and, if applicable, what the [agency](/usc/44/3502.md?p=1) needs to carry out such requirement.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 107–198, § 3(a)(2), June 28, 2002, 116 Stat. 730; amended Pub. L. 115–435, title II, § 202(e)(1), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5541.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3520 was renumbered section 3521 of this title.

Another prior section 3520, added Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2825; amended Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(m) [title VIII, § 820], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–308, 1783–340, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(m) [title VIII, § 820], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–308, 3341–340, related to authorization of appropriations prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 104–13.

### Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 115–435 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to establishment of task force on information collection and dissemination.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2019. Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Accountability of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023.

### Effective Date of 2019 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–435 effective 180 days after Jan. 14, 2019, see section 403 of Pub. L. 115–435, set out as a note under section 306 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.