[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 137 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38253-38254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18865]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal Questions on Race and Hispanic Origin

ACTION: Proposed Ccllection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 15, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to John H. Thompson, Associate Director for 
Decennial Census, Bureau of the Census, Room 3586, Federal Building 3, 
Washington, DC 20233-0001, telephone (301) 457-3946.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This pre-submission Federal Register notice complements the pre-
submission notice on ``Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal'' that was published 
in the Federal Register on Friday, May 23, 1997 (Vol. 62, No. 100, pp. 
28443-28444). That earlier notice was intended to solicit public 
comment on the proposed dress rehearsal plan and the questions to be 
included on the information collection instrument(s), except the 
questions on race and Hispanic origin, as these questions had not been 
sufficiently developed at that time. The information collection 
instrument(s) referenced in the May 23, 1997 notice included the 
following note concerning questions 5 and 6:

    These questions will ask for information on race and Hispanic 
origin and possibly ancestry. These specific questions, including 
the order in which they are asked, will depend partly on the Office 
of Management and Budget's (OMB) review of Directive No. 15, ``Race 
and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative 
Reporting.'' The OMB plans to announce any revisions to the 
Directive No. 15 in October 1997.

    We have now developed proposed questions on race and Hispanic 
origin and are soliciting comment on these questions. The proposed 
questions on race, Hispanic origin, and ancestry for the Census 2000 
Dress Rehearsal are consistent with the recommendations of the 
Interagency Committee for the Review of Racial and Ethnic Standards to 
OMB. The report and recommendations of the Committee were published for 
public comment in the Federal Register on Wednesday, July 9, 1997 (Vol. 
62, No. 131, pp. 36874-36946).
    The proposed question on ancestry is unchanged from that shown in 
question 10 in the information collection instrument(s) referenced in 
the May 23, 1997 Federal Register notice. The proposed questions on 
race and Hispanic origin are shown for the first time in the 
information collection instrument(s) referenced in this Federal 
Register notice.
    The information collection instrument(s) to be used in the Census 
2000 Dress Rehearsal will be submitted soon for OMB review. They will 
not

[[Page 38254]]

contain the questions on race and Hispanic origin that will eventually 
be included on the instrument(s). Questions on race and Hispanic origin 
(specifically, questions 5 and 6) will be submitted at a later date for 
OMB review, after we have gathered public comment on their content.
    The information provided below under ``Method of Collection'' and 
``Data'' is identical to information provided in the May 23, 1997 
notice.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal will conduct a complete census in 
the three dress rehearsal sites. In areas containing city style 
addresses, we will mail the following independent mailing pieces: an 
advance letter, an original questionnaire with postage-paid return 
envelope, a reminder card, and a replacement questionnaire with 
postage-paid return envelope. In areas containing non-city style 
addresses, enumerators will deliver a questionnaire to each household, 
to be returned in a postage-paid envelope. Households in these areas 
also will receive an advance letter before questionnaire delivery and a 
reminder card following questionnaire delivery. In all areas of the 
sites, we will visit and collect information from a sample of 
households that did not return a questionnaire by mail or report their 
census information by other means, such as by telephone. We will also 
conduct a reinterview of a small portion of respondents during 
nonresponse follow-up.

III. Data

OMB Number: Not available.
Form Numbers:
    Short Form: DX-1,DX-1(S)
    Long Form: DX-2,DX-2(S)
    Enumerator Forms: DX-1E,DX-2E
    Household Follow-up: DX-1(HF)
    Be Counted Forms: DX-10,DX-10(S),DX-10(C),DX-10(M),DX-10(V),DX-
10(T)
    Individual Census Questionnaires: DX-15A, DX-15B,DX-20A,DX-
20A(S),DX-20B,DX-20B(S)
    Military Census Report: DX-21
    Letters/Cards/Notices: DX-5(L),DX-5(L)(S),DX-9,DX-1E(S),DX-
2E(S),DX-1F,DX-26,DX-28,DX-31
    Reinterview: DX-806
Type of Review: Regular Submission.
Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 450,000 households (approx.).
    (Short Form: 83% Long Form: 17%)
    Reinterview: 3,000 households
Estimated Time Per Response:
    Short Form: 10 minutes
    Long Form: 38 minutes
    Reinterview: 5 minutes
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
    Short Form: 62,250 hours
    Long Form: 48,450 hours
    Reinterview: 250 hours
    Total: 110,950 hours
Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondents is that of 
their time.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 141 and 193.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 14, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-18865 Filed 7-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P