[Music]
Statistics, you use them every day,
perhaps not even realizing it.
The reality is statistics affect you and me
and are vital to everything we do.
Maybe you think statistics are just
on the periphery important only to businesses, non-profits
or government agencies.
But let's stop for a moment to think about a country
or a world without statistics.
How would we know the current unemployment rate?
What kinds of social or health services are needed
in our communities?
And where is the best place to build that new factory or store
so it becomes successful?
In a country as complex as the United States,
we rely on a robust federal statistical system
to give us trusted, non-partisan statistics.
This expert community provides us with basic facts we need
to govern ourselves, to guide our economy,
and to measure the performance of our government.
This requires a few simple steps...
First, the raw data must be expertly collected...
Then, all the responses are processed.
Next, the quality of the raw data is tested, tabulated,
analyzed and then reported.
It is important to note that most data
from surveys are collected primarily
through voluntary participation of U.S. residents.
In our country, statistics are shared with everyone,
at no cost, through easily accessible resources.
Brian Willams: Time magazine comes out tomorrow with a look
at who we are as a nation.
Time's statistical snapshot looks like this.
Nearly 60 million fresh eggs.
93 thousand bottles of Ragu tomato sauce.
Let's take a look at some of the statistical agencies
and the wide variety of subjects they cover...
The National Center for Health Statistics produces general
purpose health data.
These data gives us an accurate read on the changing health
of our population, as well as an in-depth look
at the formation of our families.
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
e learn about our economy through figures obtained
about unemployment, import and export prices,
and employee benefits to name a few.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics provides us
with valuable data about how we and our goods
and raw materials move about the country generating relevant
information about airfares, the volume of goods moving
through our nation's ports and commuting times to work.
Among the federal statistical agencies,
the U.S. Census Bureau is the largest,
providing the United States with official population counts.
The Founders of our country established
that a census be taken every ten years.
This cornerstone
of our democracy gives every American a political voice
through the Apportionment process.
And results from other censuses and surveys allow us
to better understand our communities and plan
for the services they need to function.
I know what you're thinking...
these are still "just numbers" and you're not sure how -
exactly - they affect YOU.
Earlier we learned that more than 600 thousand people died
of heart disease in the U.S.in 2006.
That is more than 1 of every 4 deaths.
Having this information, allows you to make smarter choices
about your heart's health.
The results of surveys and censuses also affect us
by driving policy decisions.
Remember how long the average commute is?
Using that data, policy makers can improve transportation
systems, reducing your commute.
So, while it may not be obvious, you are continuously affected
by the information gathered, processed, and shared with you
by federal statistical agencies.
For more than two hundred years,
this community has given us the statistics
that keep us informed, empower us and bring to life the dream
of our nation's founders.
So, now you can see how much we benefit from the statistics
that are all around us.