[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64743-64745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25912]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; The American 
Community Survey Content Review Results

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 64744]]

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)). The Department of Commerce is particularly interested 
in comments on seven American Community Survey (ACS) questions, 
highlighted in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Notice, 
which are slated for removal from the questionnaire based on the 
results of the 2014 ACS Content Review. Concurrently, Federal agencies 
that are the principal sponsors of these seven questions are invited to 
respond either to the U.S. Census Bureau directly or through this 
notice and to provide revised or additional justification for retaining 
these questions on the ACS.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before December 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Cheryl Chambers, Rm. 3K067, U.S. Census Bureau, 
American Community Survey Office, Washington, DC 20233 or via email to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Since the founding of the nation, the U.S. Census has mediated 
between the demands of a growing country for information about its 
economy and people, and the people's privacy and respondent burden. 
Beginning with the 1810 Census, Congress added questions to support a 
range of public concerns and uses, and over the course of a century 
questions were added about agriculture, industry, and commerce, as well 
as occupation, ancestry, marital status, disabilities, and other 
topics. In 1940, the U.S. Census Bureau introduced the long form and 
since then only the more detailed questions were asked of a sample of 
the public.
    The ACS, launched in 2005, is the current embodiment of the long 
form of the census, and is asked each year of a sample of the U.S. 
population in order to provide current data needed more often than once 
every ten years. In December of 2010, five years after its launch, the 
ACS program accomplished its primary objective with the release of its 
first set of estimates for every area of the United States. The Census 
Bureau concluded it was an appropriate time to conduct a comprehensive 
assessment of the ACS program. This program assessment focused on 
strengthening programmatic, technical, and methodological aspects of 
the survey to assure that the Census Bureau is an efficient and 
effective shared service provider. The assessment also provided an 
opportunity to examine and confirm the value of each question on the 
ACS, which resulted in the 2014 ACS Content Review.
    The 2014 ACS Content Review is the most comprehensive effort ever 
undertaken by the Census Bureau to review content on the survey, 
seeking to understand which federal programs use the information 
collected by each question, the justification for each question, and 
assess how the Census Bureau might reduce respondent burden. This 
review included examination of all 72 questions contained on the 2014 
ACS questionnaire, including 24 housing-related questions and 48 
person-related questions. Prior to this review, there were 
approximately 175 known federal uses. As a result of the federal 
agencies' commitment to the review, over 125 additional uses were 
identified, bringing the total number to over 300.
    Each participating agency provided the Census Bureau with the uses 
and justifications for questions, and each corresponding Office of 
General Counsel validated the legal basis for each question. The 
Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel further confirmed 
these legal statements and categorized each use as either mandatory,\1\ 
regulatory,\2\ or programmatic.\3\ Of the 72 questions, only three of 
the questions did not have either a mandatory or required use, with 39 
questions having at least one mandatory use, 64 questions having at 
least one regulatory use, and 70 questions having at least one 
programmatic use. The outcome of the Content Review is to identify 
questions for removal or modification, while continuing to provide 
information to meet federal agencies' needs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ A federal law explicitly calls for use of decennial census 
or American Community Survey data on that question.
    \2\ A federal law (or implementing regulation) explicitly 
requires the use of data and the decennial or the American Community 
Survey is the historical source; or the data are needed for case law 
requirements imposed by the U.S. federal court system.
    \3\ The data are needed for program planning, implementation, or 
evaluation and there is no explicit mandate or requirement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Method of Collection

    In August 2012, the OMB and the Census Bureau chartered the 
Interagency Council of Statistical Policy (ICSP) Subcommittee for the 
ACS to ``provide advice to the Director of the Census Bureau and the 
Chief Statistician at OMB on how the ACS can best fulfill its role in 
the portfolio of Federal household surveys and provide the most useful 
information with the least amount of burden.'' The Subcommittee charter 
also states that the Subcommittee would be expected to ``conduct 
regular, periodic reviews of the ACS content . . . designed to ensure 
that there is clear and specific authority and justification for each 
question to be on the ACS, the ACS is the appropriate vehicle for 
collecting the information, respondent burden is being minimized, and 
the quality of the data from ACS is appropriate for its intended use.''
    The ICSP Subcommittee established the two analysis factors--benefit 
as defined by the level of usefulness and cost as defined by the level 
of respondent burden or difficulty in obtaining the data. The 
Subcommittee also established the 19 decision criteria -13 benefit 
criteria and six cost criteria. Given these criteria, the collection of 
nine data sets was required. The five data sets that were collected to 
demonstrate ACS benefits (usefulness) included:
    Federal Agency ACS Data Uses-- Agencies were asked to document: (1) 
Justification for question use; (2) mandatory, regulatory, and 
programmatic uses; (3) lowest level of geography required; (4) 
frequency of use; (5) funding formulas and the amount of funding 
distributed based on the questions; and, (6) characteristics of the 
population supported by the question. The Office of General Counsel for 
each agency submitting uses to the Census Bureau confirmed the legal 
citations associated with each of the stated uses. The Department of 
Commerce Office of General Counsel subsequently validated each use to 
adjudicate whether the use is Mandatory, Regulatory, or Programmatic.
    Federal Agency Alternative Data Sources--Agencies were also asked 
to identify alternative data sources to the ACS.
    Computation of Questions' Estimates Coefficients of Variation--
Census Bureau subject matter experts examined

[[Page 64745]]

the coefficient of variation (CV) associated with an estimate for each 
question at the county level, providing insight into the quality of the 
measure by geography.
    Computation of Questions' Estimates Interquartile Ranges--Census 
Bureau subject matter experts computed interquartile ranges associated 
with an estimate for each question at the county level, providing 
insight into the amount of variability in the estimates by geography.
    ACS Used as another Survey's Sampling Frame--Other surveys that 
used the ACS as a sampling frame were identified, including the ACS 
questions that were used to identify the survey sample of respondents.
    Four data sets reflecting measures of cost (burden) were collected. 
These included:
    Survey of Interviewers--ACS interviewers were surveyed to identify 
three of the cost indicators: Which questions respondents find 
cognitively burdensome, or sensitive, and which ones are the most 
difficult.
    Time to Respond Response-- Response times to questionnaires via 
automated modes (Internet, call center, and in-person interviews) were 
measured to determine how long it took respondents to answer each 
question.
    Allocation Rates--Allocation rates by questions were computed to 
determine which questions were left blank requiring statistical methods 
to fill in the response. That is, which questions required more 
imputation due to missing information.
    Complaints--Complaints about the ACS received by email, letter, or 
telephone were examined and associated with questions so that counts 
could be obtained.
    Based on the analysis of the 9 data sets reflecting the 19 decision 
criteria, each question received a total number of points between 0 and 
100 based on its benefits, and 0 and 100 points based on its costs. 
These points were then used as the basis for creating four categories: 
High Benefit and Low Cost; High Benefit and High Cost; Low Benefit and 
Low Cost; or Low Benefit and High Cost. For this analysis, any question 
that was designated as either Low Benefit and Low Cost or Low Benefit 
and High Cost and was NOT designated as Mandatory (i.e., statutory) by 
the Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel or NOT Required 
(i.e., regulatory) with a sub-state use, was identified as a potential 
candidate for removal. Initially 21 questions (17 percent) fell into 
the Low Benefit/Low Cost category and three questions (3 percent) fell 
into the Low Benefit/High Cost category, for a combined total of 24 
questions in either of the Low Benefit categories. However, after 
removing those that were Mandatory or Required with a sub-state use, 
only seven (6 percent) of the 24 questions remained. These seven 
questions were all in the Low Benefit and Low Cost category.
    These seven questions include, with the 2014 ACS questionnaire 
wording in italics: Housing Question No. 6--Business/Medical Office on 
Property--Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or a 
medical office on this property?
    Person Question No. 12--Undergraduate Field of Degree--This 
question focuses on this person's Bachelor's Degree. Please print below 
the specific major(s) of any Bachelor's Degrees this person has 
received.
    Person Question No. 21a--Get Married--In the past 12 months did 
this person get--Married?
    Person Question No. 21b--Get Widowed--In the past 12 months did 
this person get--Widowed?
    Person Question No. 21c--Get Divorced--In the past 12 months did 
this person get--Divorced?
    Person Question No. 22--Times Married--How many times has this 
person been married?
    Person Question No. 23--Year Last Married--In what year did this 
person last get married?
    The public is invited to comment on all questions on the American 
Community Survey; however, the Census Bureau is particularly interested 
in comments on these seven ACS questions listed above, which are slated 
for removal from the questionnaire based on the results of the 2014 
Content Review. Concurrently, Federal agencies that are the principal 
sponsors of these seven questions are invited to respond either 
directly to the Census Bureau or through this notice and provide 
revised or additional justification for these questions, especially 
concerning strategies to reduce respondent burden. We would anticipate 
comments concerning such strategies as examining alternative data 
sources, changes to wording or presentation, using a more limited 
sample, reducing question frequency, federal agency collaboration on 
the review of statutes or regulations, among others.
    To view all 2014 ACS questions by category with their associated 
justifications, please visit: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/about_the_survey/acs_content_review/.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0810.
    Form Number(s): ACS-1(2014).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Federal and legislative agencies, individuals, 
households, and businesses. We plan to contact the following number of 
respondents each year: 3,540,000 households; 200,000 persons in group 
quarters; 20,000 contacts in group quarters; 43,000 households for 
reinterview; and 1,500 group quarters contacts for reinterview.
    Estimated Time per Response: 40 minutes for the average household 
questionnaire.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The estimate is an annual 
average of 2,337,900 burden hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: Except for their time, there 
is no cost to respondents.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority:  Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 141 and 193 or other 
authority authorizing or requiring the collection.

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: October 28, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-25912 Filed 10-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P