Notice2024-25172
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
October 30, 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 extension of the "Consumer Price Index Housing Survey." 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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86373-86374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25172]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 extension of the ``Consumer Price
Index Housing Survey.'' 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 December 30, 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#67252b3438373526383712050b0e0427050b1449000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="185a544b47484a5947486d7a74717b587a746b367f776e">[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
Under the direction of the Secretary of Labor, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) is directed by law to collect, collate, and report
full and complete statistics on the conditions of labor and the
products and distribution of the products of the same; the Consumer
Price Index (CPI) is one of these statistics. The collection of data
from a wide spectrum of housing units is essential for the timely and
accurate calculation of the Housing component of the CPI.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the only index compiled by the
U.S. Government that is designed to measure changes in the purchasing
power of the consumer's dollar. The CPI is a measure of the average
change in prices over time in a market basket of goods and services. It
is calculated monthly for two population groups, one consisting of all
urban consumers (CPI-U), and the other consisting of urban wage earners
and clerical workers (CPI-W). The CPI-U represents the buying habits of
over 90 percent of the population of the United States, while the CPI-W
represents approximately 30 percent of the population of the United
States.
First, the CPI is used most widely as a measure of inflation and
serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of government economic
policy. Second, it
[[Page 86374]]
is also used as a deflator of other economic series, that is, to adjust
other series for price changes and to translate these series into
inflation-free dollars. Examples include retail sales, hourly and
weekly earnings, and components of the Gross Domestic Product.
A third major use of the CPI is to adjust dollar values. Over 2
million workers are covered by collective bargaining contracts, which
provide for increases in wage rates based on increases in the CPI. At
least nineteen states and the District of Columbia have laws that link
the adjustment in State minimum wage to the changes in the CPI. The
index affects the income of more than 108 million people as a result of
statutory action: over 67 million Social Security beneficiaries and
over 41 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
recipients, among other programs. Changes in the CPI also affect the
cost of lunches for over 30 million children who eat lunch at school as
part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Under the National
School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act, national average payments for
those lunches and breakfasts are adjusted annually by the Secretary of
Agriculture on the basis of the change in the CPI series, ``Food away
from Home.'' Many private firms and individuals use the CPI to keep
rents, royalties, alimony payments, and child support payments in line
with changing prices. Since 1985, the CPI has been used to adjust the
Federal income tax structure to prevent inflation-induced tax rate
increases.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the
Consumer Price Index Housing Survey.
The CPI is the nation's chief source of information on retail price
changes. The BLS has made extensive efforts to identify, from other
government agencies and the scientific literature, other sources of
data. To the BLS's knowledge, there is no duplication of indexes and
there is no other series available which performs the function of the
CPI.
The CPI Housing Survey is the nation's primary source of
information on residential rent change. In addition, the CPI Housing
data must be timely and available monthly. No other survey is both as
timely and geographically comprehensive. The information provided by
the American Housing Survey (AHS), Current Population Survey (CPS) or
American Community Survey (ACS) does not meet the CPI's timeliness or
geographic requirements.
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: Consumer Price Index Housing Survey.
OMB Number: 1220-0163.
Type of Review: Extension.
Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Business or other for-
profit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Estimated
Annual number responses per Total annual Average burden total burden
of respondents respondent responses (hours) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screening....................... 26,286 1 26,286 6/60 2,629
Initiation...................... * 6,103 1 6,103 9/60 915
Long Pricing.................... 6,924 1 6,924 7/60 808
Short Pricing................... 32,681 2 65,362 5/60 5,447
Quality Reinterviews............ ** 2,648 1 2,648 4/60 177
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unduplicated Total.......... 74,642 .............. 107,323 .............. 9,976
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Initiation activity of 6,103 is included in the Screening number.
** Reinterview activity of 2,648 is included in the Pricing numbers.
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 October 23, 2024.
Eric Molina,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2024-25172 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 30, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.