15 U.S.C. § 1516: Statistical information

The Secretary of Commerce shall have control of the work of gathering and distributing statistical information naturally relating to the subjects confided to his department; and he shall have the power and authority to rearrange the statistical work of the bureaus and offices confided to the Department of Commerce, and to consolidate any of the statistical bureaus and offices above described. He shall also have authority to call upon other departments of the Government for statistical data and results obtained by them; and he may collate, arrange, and publish such statistical information so obtained in such manner as to him may seem wise.