Search Results: john thompson
COSSA Remembers John Thompson
The social science community mourns the loss of John H. Thompson, who passed away earlier this month. Thompson dedicated nearly 30 years serving in the U.S. Census Bureau, including as Director from 2013 to 2017. After leaving federal service he became Executive Director of the Council of Professional Associations for Federal Statistics. Thompson also served as President of NORC at the University of Chicago (a COSSA member organization). The COSSA community is grateful for Johnâs commitment to federal statistics and service to the American people.
Thompson Leaves Census Bureau; Acting Director Named
On June 30, John Thompson officially resigned as Director of the Census Bureau, after unexpectedly announcing his planned departure in May. Effective July 1, Ron Jarmin will become Acting Director of the Bureau. Jarmin has been with the Census Bureau since 1992 and currently serves as Associate Director for Economic Programs. Enrique Lamas, Associate Director for Demographic Programs, will serve as Acting Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, a position that has been vacant for several months. In addition, the Department of Commerce announced that Secretary Wilbur Ross has hired Arnold Jackson as a consultant. Jackson oversaw the 2010 Census…
RSVP: The Census Projectâs Virtual Briefing on the Latest ACS Report
The Census Project will be hosting a virtual briefing on Monday, July 24 to discuss its newest report: âAmericaâs Essential Economic and Social Data at Risk: A Vision to Preserve and Enhance the American Community Surveyâ. Dr. Linda Jacobsen, Senior Fellow at the Population Reference Bureau, will summarize findings from the report and present new sections that spotlight how the ACS informs policies and programs serving veterans and the nationâs health care industry. The briefing will also feature former Census Bureau Director Dr. John Thompson. Dr. Thompson will highlight how the ACS fits into broader data collection modernization and dissemination initiatives…
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2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016-1982 2026 February 10, 2026, Volume 45 Issue 3 | PDF Featured News Analysis of the Final FY 2026 LHHS Appropriations Bills for Federal Science Agencies New from COSSA Social Science Advocacy Day: Prices Increase After Friday! Kimberly Kahn Answers “Why Social Science?” Submit your own Button Slogan! Congressional News Congress Looks Forward to FY 2027 and Eyes Potential Second Reconciliation Package NIH Director Bhattacharya Testifies Before Congress on Modernizing the Agency Executive Branch News President Trump Executive Actions Stuart Levenbach Quietly Assumes Role as U.S. Chief Statistician NIH Reclassifies…
Former Ag Statistics Head to Lead COPAFS
The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS) has announced that Cynthia Z.F. Clark will serve as its next Executive Director effective December 3. Dr. Clark most recently led the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), one of two Department of Agriculture statistical agencies, from 2008 until 2014. She succeeds former Census Director John Thompson, who retired from the organization earlier this year. COSSA congratulates Dr. Clark on her appointment and looks forward to continuing to work closely with COPAFS on issues affecting federal statistical agencies. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COPAFS Launches Executive Director Search
The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS) has launched a search for a new Executive Director following the retirement of John Thompson this summer. COPAFS advocates for the development and dissemination of high-quality federal statistics. More details on COPAFS and on the search are available on the COPAFS website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Administration Considering Controversial Pick for Census Deputy Director
The Trump Administration is reportedly considering naming Thomas Brunell, a political science professor at the University of Texas, Dallas, as the next Deputy Director of the Census Bureau. The pick has raised concerns for Census stakeholder groups both because Brunell has no prior government experience and would be the top operations official overseeing the decennial census, the governmentâs biggest non-wartime operation, and because his selection would appear to politicize what has historically been a non-political position. Brunell has testified on behalf of Republican redistricting efforts and is the author of a 2008 book called Redistricting and Representation: Why Competitive Elections…
Former Census Director to Lead Statistics Group
John Thompson, who resigned as Director of the Census Bureau last month, has been appointed Executive Director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), effective July 24. Before being appointed to lead Census in 2013, Thompson was the President and CEO of NORC at the University of Chicago. He succeeds Katherine Smith Evans, who served as Executive Director since October 2012 and has been named the Washington Area Representative for the American Economic Association. COSSA looks forward to continuing to work closely with COPAFS on issues affecting federal statistical agencies and welcomes Thompson in his new role….
Census Bureau Director Resigns, Complicating Outlook for 2020 Decennial
On May 9, John Thompson announced his plans to step down as Director of the Census Bureau effective June 30. Thompsonâs resignation comes at a critical time for the Bureau as it ramps up its activities ahead of the 2020 Census and continues to face periodic threats to the American Community Survey. So far, no details have emerged about a potential replacement. The Deputy Director position at the Bureau has been vacant since Nancy Potok left to become Chief Statistician of the United States in January. No reason was given for Thompsonâs departure in the middle of a year-long extension…
Census, NCHS Hold Joint Technical Meeting Ahead of Release of Insurance Coverage Data
On September 16, the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) will release the first federal statistics on health insurance coverage during the period after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agencies held a technical meeting on August 18 to go over what will be released later this month and provide background on the methods used in the respective household surveys. Census Bureau Director John Thompson and NCHS Director Charles Rothwell introduced the meeting. A webcast is available here. Two sources of data will be used together to assess the impact of the ACA…
House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Lawmakersâ Priorities
Reviving the Appropriations Committeeâs tradition of holding hearings to allow members of Congress to testify on their priorities within a subcommitteeâs jurisdiction, on March 1, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) heard testimony from Members of Congress on their priorities for fiscal year (FY) 2018. Throughout the course of the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) continually urged members to âcontinue to advocate for their priorities.â Otherwise, Cole cautioned, the Subcommittee would have to âlive within the allocationâ it is given by the budget committee….