[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24154-24155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11624]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Census 2000

ACTION: Proposed collection; 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 June 30, 1998.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should directed to the Communications Staff, Decennial Management 
Division, Bureau of the Census, Room 2002, Suitland Federal Center #2, 
Washington, DC 20233-0001, (301) 457-3947.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The United States Constitution mandates that a census of the 
Nation's population and housing be taken every ten years. The Census 
Bureau's goal in Census 2000 is to take the most accurate and cost-
effective census possible. The importance of an accurate decennial 
census cannot be overstated. Census data are used to reapportion the 
House of Representatives and redraw legislative district boundaries, 
ensuring that political representation is distributed accurately, and 
to determine funding allocations for the distribution of billions of 
dollars of federal and state funds each year. Census data tell us what 
we know about our country; they are the definitive benchmark for 
virtually all demographic information used by state, local, and tribal 
governments, policy makers, educators, journalists, and community and 
nonprofit organizations.
    From Census 2000, the Census Bureau will produce the basic 
population totals by state for Congressional apportionment, as mandated 
by the Constitution, and more specifically elaborated in Title 13 U.S. 
Code. In compliance with P.L. 94-171, for each state the Census Bureau 
will produce population totals by race, Hispanic origin, and age for 
census blocks and higher geographic levels for legislative 
redistricting. The Census Bureau also will be collecting a wealth of 
demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics from the 
population. This information is required to implement programs and 
enforce federal laws and, as noted above, plays an important role in 
the distribution of federal and state funds each year and serves as a 
benchmark for many different purposes.
    In the process of developing our data collection forms, the Census 
Bureau has tried to reduce respondent burden in three ways: (1) 
Including only those questions that are explicitly required in federal 
law or whose use is strongly implied by the data requirements in the 
law--both the short form and the long form have fewer questions than 
their 1990 counterparts, (2) working through the decade to develop 
forms that are easy to understand and fill out, and (3) asking most 
questions at only a sample of one in six households nationwide.

II. Method of Collection

    In Census 2000, the Census Bureau will make every effort to account 
for all people living in the Nation and Americans overseas (and their 
dependents) who are working for the U.S. Government. In most areas 
where city-style addresses are used for mail delivery, the Census 
Bureau will mail the following independent mailing pieces: an advance 
letter, a questionnaire with postage-paid return envelope, and a 
reminder card. In most areas with non-city style addresses (except for 
very remote or sparsely populated areas), enumerators will deliver a 
questionnaire to each housing unit, to be returned in a postage-paid 
envelope. Housing units in latter areas also will receive an advance 
letter before questionnaire delivery and a reminder card following 
questionnaire delivery. In very remote or sparsely populated areas 
without a city-style address, enumerators will visit each housing unit 
and complete an unaddressed short-form questionnaire. The enumerators 
will ask additional long-form questions of a sample of units. They also 
will develop an address list for the area and spot each housing unit's 
location on a map at the time of enumeration. In areas where response 
is by mail, enumerators will visit and collect information from 
households that did not return a questionnaire by mail or report their 
census information by other means, such as by telephone--this operation 
is called nonresponse follow-up. The Census Bureau also will

[[Page 24155]]

conduct a reinterview of a small portion of respondents during 
nonresponse follow-up to ensure the quality of work in this operation.
    The Census Bureau plans to take the following additional steps to 
improve response to the census:
     Build partnerships with state, local, and tribal 
governments and with community groups to alert the Census Bureau to 
problems and advise the Bureau of opportunities to publicize Census 
2000 and the best ways to communicate the message.
     Motivate individuals to respond (by explaining the 
benefits and mandatory nature of the census) and make Census 2000 forms 
attractive, easy to understand, and simple to fill out. Private sector 
designers have worked with the Census Bureau to simplify the forms and 
implement the user-friendly features shown to increase response during 
testing and research conducted by the Census Bureau.
     Placing unaddressed Be Counted forms or language 
assistance guides in locations, such as community centers and Walk-In 
Questionnaire Assistance Centers, for use by people who believe they 
have not been counted in the census. The Census Bureau intends to make 
these forms available in a broad range of non-English languages, but 
the number of languages has not yet been finalized.
     Employing new methods to find and enumerate people, such 
as enumerating persons who use services at shelters, soup kitchens, and 
other facilities and placing unaddressed Be Counted forms in publicly 
accessible locations for pick up and completion by people who believe 
that they have not been counted in the census.
     Providing telephone questionnaire assistance.
    The Census Bureau intends to employ statistical sampling to check 
the quality of the work. An independent quality check--called the 
Integrated Coverage Measurement survey--will use the information 
gathered from a second, independent operation to improve the accuracy 
of the census. The Integrated Coverage Measurement survey will be 
submitted separately for OMB review, as will the forms for the census 
enumeration in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific 
Island Areas.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Numbers:

    Short Form: D-1, D-1(S) and possibly other languages
Long Form: D-2, D-2(S) and possibly other languages
Update/Leave: D-1(UL), D-2(UL), D-1A(UL), D-2A(UL)
Enumerator Forms: D-1E, D-2E, D-1(E)SUPP, D-2(E)SUPP
Household Follow-up: D-1(HF), D-2(HF), D-1(HF)(S), D-2(HF)(S)
Be Counted Forms: D-10, D-10(S) and possibly other languages
Advance Census Report: D-13
Individual Census Questionnaires: D-15A, D-15B
Individual Census Reports: D-20A, D-20A(S), D-20B, D-20B(S)
Military Census Report: D-21
Shipboard Census Report: D-23
Letters/Cards/Notices: D-5(L), D-5(L)(UL), D-9, D-9(UL), D-11, D-1E(S), 
D-2E(S), D-1(F), D-16A(L), D-16B(L) and possibly other languages, D-
16A(L)(UL), D-16B(L)UL, D-19A(L), D-19B(L), D-19C(L), D-19A(L)(S), D-
19B(L)(S), D-19C(L)(S), D-26, D-27, D-28, D-31, D-31(P), D-3309
Reinterview: D-806

    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 106,200,000 households (approx.) 
(Short Form: 83%; Long form: 17%) Reinterview: 1,200,000 households.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Short Form: 10 minutes, Long Form: 38 
minutes, Reinterview: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: Short Form: 14,691,000 hours, Long 
Form: 11,434,200 hours, Reinterview: 100,000 hours, Total: 26,225,200 
hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondent 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; 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; the comments will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 27, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 98-11624 Filed 4-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P