[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 213 (Friday, November 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55207-55208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24009]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Request for Comments; Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly 
Interview and Diary

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) 
revision titled, ``Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview 
and Diary,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before December 3, 2018.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201806-1220-001 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are 
not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
BLS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance 
Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:  Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an 
email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for 
revisions to the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview and 
Diary information collection. The BLS uses the Consumer Expenditure 
Surveys to gather information on expenditures, income, and other 
related subjects. The data is updated periodically in the national 
Consumer Price Index. In addition, the data is used by a variety of 
researchers in academia, government agencies, and the private sector. 
The data is collected from a national probability sample of households 
designed to represent the total civilian non-institutional population. 
The Census Authorizing Statute and BLS Authorizing Statute authorize 
this information collection. See 13 U.S.C. 8b and 29 U.S.C. 2.
    This ICR has been characterized as a revision, because of several 
Quarterly Interview questions will be modified. These changes include 
collapsing the items codes for attachable campers and unattached 
campers into a single item code; regrouping the clothing sections for 
easier understanding by the respondent such as adding a swimwear 
category, regrouping items previously collected in the Swimwear, swim 
cover-ups, or swimwear accessories category, and renaming the outerwear 
section to Coats and Jackets; replacing questions on prepaid long 
distance calling cards with a question on prepaid cellular cards; and 
deleting the Miscellaneous expenses/souvenirs question in the trip 
section, as this has led to duplicate reports. Additionally, an 
extended recall section will be added on the point of purchase of items 
for consumer units (CUs) based on (1) the Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) 
in which the consumer unit resides (population group) and (2) whether 
the item was not reported by the consumer unit in the current reference 
period. Only a CU that does not report an expenditure for the item and 
resides in the PSU in which the extended recall section is being asked 
will receive these additional questions. In addition, a Consumer 
Expenditure Diary survey (CED) question will be added about the veteran 
status of each member of the

[[Page 55208]]

consumer unit who is 17 and over. The pick-up window, or the time a 
Field Representative is allowed to pick up the completed CED will also 
be extended to ten (10) days. Finally, an additional column will be 
added to the CED for the respondent to record the point of purchase for 
the expenditure the respondent has recorded.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1220-0050. The current approval is scheduled to 
expire on January 31, 2021; however, the DOL notes that existing 
information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a 
month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements 
would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive 
information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the 
Federal Register on May 15, 2018 (83 FR 22520).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1220-0050. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     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;
     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;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     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 submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-BLS.
    Title of Collection: Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly 
Interview and Diary.
    OMB Control Number: 1220-0050.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,355.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 49,697.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 44,522 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-24009 Filed 11-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-24-P