Katharine Abraham to chair Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking
Commission tasked with finding reliable evidence-based tools for evaluating government programs
President Obama has named Faculty Associate Katharine Abraham as Chairperson and member of a 15-person commission designed to help Congress evaluate the effectiveness of government programs. The commissioners, who receive no salary, are charged with three tasks :
- Perform a study of the federal government’s data inventory, data infrastructure, and statistical protocols in order to facilitate program evaluation and policy-relevant research. With this task in mind, the commission is required to “make recommendations on how best to incorporate outcomes measurement, institutionalize randomized controlled trials, and rigorous impact analysis into program design.”
- Explore how to create a clearinghouse of program and survey data to increase the use of evidence-based policymaking.
- Submit a report to the President and Congress detailing the commission’s findings and recommendations.
In addition to her research at the University of Maryland Dr. Abraham has served most recently as a member of the President's Council of Economic Advisors and as Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics during the Clinton administration.
See the White House announcement (sparse)