Notice2024-12163
Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 4, 2024
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentLabor Statistics Bureau
Abstract
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the "The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary." A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47990-47991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12163]
[[Page 47990]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be
provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial
resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood,
and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed revision of the ``The Consumer
Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.'' A copy of
the proposed information collection request can be obtained by
contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this
notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
Addresses section of this notice on or before August 5, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room G225,
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also
may be transmitted by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#07454b5458575546585772656b6e6447656b7429606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffbdb3aca0afadbea0af8a9d93969cbf9d938cd1989089">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses
section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Consumer Expenditure (CE) Surveys collect data on consumer
expenditures, demographic information, and related data needed by the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other public and private data users. The
continuing surveys provide a constant measurement of changes in
consumer expenditure patterns for economic analysis and to obtain data
for future CPI revisions. The CE Surveys have been ongoing since 1979.
The data from the CE Surveys are used (1) for CPI revisions, (2) to
provide a continuous flow of data on income and expenditure patterns
for use in economic analysis and policy formulation, and (3) to provide
a flexible consumer survey vehicle that is available for use by other
Federal Government agencies. Public and private users of price
statistics, including Congress and the economic policymaking agencies
of the Executive branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their
day-to-day activities. Hence, data users and policymakers widely accept
the need to improve the process used for revising the CPI. If the CE
Surveys were not conducted on a continuing basis, current information
necessary for more timely, as well as more accurate, updating of the
CPI would not be available. In addition, data would not be available to
respond to the continuing demand from the public and private sectors
for current information on consumer spending.
In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the
sample is interviewed every three months over four calendar quarters.
The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs
being interviewed every three months in the same panel of every
quarter. The Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data on
the types of expenditures that respondents can be expected to recall
for a period of three months or longer. In general the expenses
reported in the Interview Survey are either relatively large, such as
property, automobiles, or major appliances, or are expenses which occur
on a fairly regular basis, such as rent, utility bills, or insurance
premiums.
The Diary (or recordkeeping) Survey is completed at home by the
respondent family for two consecutive one-week periods. The primary
objective of the Diary Survey is to obtain expenditure data on small,
frequently purchased items which normally are difficult to recall over
longer periods of time.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought to
continue the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview
(CEQ) and the Diary (CED) and to make modifications to both.
For both the CEQ and CED, a new sample of PSUs will be drawn based
on the 2020 Census.
In the CEQ, CE requests clearance to incorporate outlet collection
changes for the Interview survey based on CPI requirements related to
the 2025 geographical revision. CE will use three temporary population
groups (POPGRPs) to collect outlet data for sourcing outlets for new
PSUs to accommodate needed outlet data for the CPI sample redesign.
Additionally, recall apparel questions which do not pertain to
current interview items will be deleted. Additionally, the business
screener question follow-up text will be deleted as Field
Representatives (FRs) indicated it caused confusion.
In the CED, CE requests clearance to delete the following from the
cover of the current Diary collection form: ``If you have comments
regarding this survey, please email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#713234121e1c1c141f050231131d025f161e07"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="145751777b7979717a6067547678673a737b62">[email protected]</span></a>''. There are
currently two points of contact listed on the form, the field
representative and BLS. This will eliminate any confusion for the
respondent regarding a point of contact.
Additionally, minor wording changes were made to both the online
diary user guide, `Welcome' email, and `Reminder' email to ease
understanding.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in
comments that:
<bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility.
<bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
<bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected.
<bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
Title of Collection: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The
Quarterly Interview and the Diary.
OMB Number: 1220-0050.
Type of Review: Revision.
Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
[[Page 47991]]
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Total Total Average time Estimated
Form respondents Frequency responses per response total burden
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CEQ Interview................... 4,475 4 17,900 63 18,795
CEQ Reinterview................. 2,148 1 2,148 10 358
CED Record-keeping.............. 6,050 2 12,100 60 12,100
CED Interview................... 6,050 2 12,100 19 3,832
CED Reinterview................. 1,210 1 1,210 10 202
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Totals...................... 10,525 .............. 45,458 .............. 35,287
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Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a
matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, on this 29th day of May, 2024.
Eric Molina,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2024-12163 Filed 6-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P
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