Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 47990-47991 [2024-12163]

Download as PDF 47990 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 4, 2024 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Bureau of Labor Statistics Information Collection Activities; Comment Request Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment. AGENCY: 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 revision of the ‘‘The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.’’ 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 August 5, 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 BLS_PRA_Public@bls.gov. 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: SUMMARY: ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 I. Background The Consumer Expenditure (CE) Surveys collect data on consumer expenditures, demographic information, and related data needed by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other public and private data users. The continuing surveys provide a constant measurement of changes in consumer expenditure patterns for economic analysis and to obtain data for future VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:15 Jun 03, 2024 Jkt 262001 CPI revisions. The CE Surveys have been ongoing since 1979. The data from the CE Surveys are used (1) for CPI revisions, (2) to provide a continuous flow of data on income and expenditure patterns for use in economic analysis and policy formulation, and (3) to provide a flexible consumer survey vehicle that is available for use by other Federal Government agencies. Public and private users of price statistics, including Congress and the economic policymaking agencies of the Executive branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their day-to-day activities. Hence, data users and policymakers widely accept the need to improve the process used for revising the CPI. If the CE Surveys were not conducted on a continuing basis, current information necessary for more timely, as well as more accurate, updating of the CPI would not be available. In addition, data would not be available to respond to the continuing demand from the public and private sectors for current information on consumer spending. In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the sample is interviewed every three months over four calendar quarters. The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs being interviewed every three months in the same panel of every quarter. The Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data on the types of expenditures that respondents can be expected to recall for a period of three months or longer. In general the expenses reported in the Interview Survey are either relatively large, such as property, automobiles, or major appliances, or are expenses which occur on a fairly regular basis, such as rent, utility bills, or insurance premiums. The Diary (or recordkeeping) Survey is completed at home by the respondent family for two consecutive one-week periods. The primary objective of the Diary Survey is to obtain expenditure data on small, frequently purchased items which normally are difficult to recall over longer periods of time. II. Current Action Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought to continue the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview (CEQ) and the Diary (CED) and to make modifications to both. For both the CEQ and CED, a new sample of PSUs will be drawn based on the 2020 Census. In the CEQ, CE requests clearance to incorporate outlet collection changes for the Interview survey based on CPI PO 00000 Frm 00099 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 requirements related to the 2025 geographical revision. CE will use three temporary population groups (POPGRPs) to collect outlet data for sourcing outlets for new PSUs to accommodate needed outlet data for the CPI sample redesign. Additionally, recall apparel questions which do not pertain to current interview items will be deleted. Additionally, the business screener question follow-up text will be deleted as Field Representatives (FRs) indicated it caused confusion. In the CED, CE requests clearance to delete the following from the cover of the current Diary collection form: ‘‘If you have comments regarding this survey, please email CEcomments@ bls.gov’’. There are currently two points of contact listed on the form, the field representative and BLS. This will eliminate any confusion for the respondent regarding a point of contact. Additionally, minor wording changes were made to both the online diary user guide, ‘Welcome’ email, and ‘Reminder’ email to ease understanding. III. Desired Focus of Comments The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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. • 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: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary. OMB Number: 1220–0050. Type of Review: Revision. Affected Public: Individuals or Households. E:\FR\FM\04JNN1.SGM 04JNN1 47991 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 4, 2024 / Notices Total respondents Form Average time per response Estimated total burden CEQ Interview ...................................................................... CEQ Reinterview ................................................................. CED Record-keeping ........................................................... CED Interview ...................................................................... CED Reinterview .................................................................. 4,475 2,148 6,050 6,050 1,210 4 1 2 2 1 17,900 2,148 12,100 12,100 1,210 63 10 60 19 10 18,795 358 12,100 3,832 202 Totals ............................................................................ 10,525 ........................ 45,458 ........................ 35,287 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 this 29th day of May, 2024. Eric Molina, Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. 2024–12163 Filed 6–3–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–24–P NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION [NARA–24–0013; NARA–2024–038] Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed records schedules; request for comments. AGENCY: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publishes notice of certain Federal agency requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). We publish notice in the Federal Register and on regulations.gov for records schedules in which agencies propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct agency business. We invite public comments on such records schedules. SUMMARY: We must receive responses on the schedules listed in this notice by July 22, 2024. ADDRESSES: To view a records schedule in this notice, or submit a comment on one, use the following address: https:// www.regulations.gov/docket/NARA-240013/document. This is a direct link to the schedules posted in the docket for this notice on regulations.gov. You may submit comments by the following method: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. On the website, enter either of the numbers cited at the top of this notice into the DATES: ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Total responses Frequency VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:15 Jun 03, 2024 Jkt 262001 search field. This will bring you to the docket for this notice, in which we have posted the records schedules open for comment. Each schedule has a ‘comment’ button so you can comment on that specific schedule. For more information on regulations.gov and on submitting comments, see their FAQs at https://www.regulations.gov/faq. If you are unable to comment via regulations.gov, you may email us at request.schedule@nara.gov for instructions on submitting your comment. You must cite the control number of the schedule you wish to comment on. You can find the control number for each schedule in parentheses at the end of each schedule’s entry in the list at the end of this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eddie Germino, Strategy and Performance Division, by email at regulation_comments@nara.gov or at 301–837–3758. For information about records schedules, contact Records Management Operations by email at request.schedule@nara.gov or by phone at 301–837–1799. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Comment Procedures We are publishing notice of records schedules in which agencies propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct agency business. We invite public comments on these records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a) and list the schedules at the end of this notice by agency and subdivision requesting disposition authority. In addition, this notice lists the organizational unit(s) accumulating the records or states that the schedule has agency-wide applicability. It also provides the control number assigned to each schedule, which you will need if you submit comments on that schedule. We have uploaded the records schedules and accompanying appraisal memoranda to the regulations.gov docket for this notice as ‘‘other’’ documents. Each records schedule contains a full description of the records at the file unit level as well as their proposed disposition. The appraisal PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 memorandum for the schedule includes information about the records. We will post comments, including any personal information and attachments, to the public docket unchanged. Because comments are public, you are responsible for ensuring that you do not include any confidential or other information that you or a third party may not wish to be publicly posted. If you want to submit a comment with confidential information or cannot otherwise use the regulations.gov portal, you may contact request.schedule@nara.gov for instructions on submitting your comment. We will consider all comments submitted by the posted deadline and consult as needed with the Federal agency seeking the disposition authority. After considering comments, we may or may not make changes to the proposed records schedule. The schedule is then sent for final approval by the Archivist of the United States. After the schedule is approved, we will post on regulations.gov a ‘‘Consolidated Reply’’ summarizing the comments, responding to them, and noting any changes we made to the proposed schedule. You may elect at regulations.gov to receive updates on the docket, including an alert when we post the Consolidated Reply, whether or not you submit a comment. If you have a question, you can submit it as a comment, and can also submit any concerns or comments you would have to a possible response to the question. We will address these items in consolidated replies along with any other comments submitted on that schedule. We will post schedules on our website in the Records Control Schedule (RCS) Repository, at https:// www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/rcs, after the Archivist approves them. The RCS contains all schedules approved since 1973. Background Each year, Federal agencies create billions of records. To control this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing retention E:\FR\FM\04JNN1.SGM 04JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47990-47991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12163]



[[Page 47990]]

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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 revision of the ``The Consumer 
Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.'' 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 August 5, 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 [email protected].

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

    The Consumer Expenditure (CE) Surveys collect data on consumer 
expenditures, demographic information, and related data needed by the 
Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other public and private data users. The 
continuing surveys provide a constant measurement of changes in 
consumer expenditure patterns for economic analysis and to obtain data 
for future CPI revisions. The CE Surveys have been ongoing since 1979.
    The data from the CE Surveys are used (1) for CPI revisions, (2) to 
provide a continuous flow of data on income and expenditure patterns 
for use in economic analysis and policy formulation, and (3) to provide 
a flexible consumer survey vehicle that is available for use by other 
Federal Government agencies. Public and private users of price 
statistics, including Congress and the economic policymaking agencies 
of the Executive branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their 
day-to-day activities. Hence, data users and policymakers widely accept 
the need to improve the process used for revising the CPI. If the CE 
Surveys were not conducted on a continuing basis, current information 
necessary for more timely, as well as more accurate, updating of the 
CPI would not be available. In addition, data would not be available to 
respond to the continuing demand from the public and private sectors 
for current information on consumer spending.
    In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the 
sample is interviewed every three months over four calendar quarters. 
The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs 
being interviewed every three months in the same panel of every 
quarter. The Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data on 
the types of expenditures that respondents can be expected to recall 
for a period of three months or longer. In general the expenses 
reported in the Interview Survey are either relatively large, such as 
property, automobiles, or major appliances, or are expenses which occur 
on a fairly regular basis, such as rent, utility bills, or insurance 
premiums.
    The Diary (or recordkeeping) Survey is completed at home by the 
respondent family for two consecutive one-week periods. The primary 
objective of the Diary Survey is to obtain expenditure data on small, 
frequently purchased items which normally are difficult to recall over 
longer periods of time.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought to 
continue the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview 
(CEQ) and the Diary (CED) and to make modifications to both.
    For both the CEQ and CED, a new sample of PSUs will be drawn based 
on the 2020 Census.
    In the CEQ, CE requests clearance to incorporate outlet collection 
changes for the Interview survey based on CPI requirements related to 
the 2025 geographical revision. CE will use three temporary population 
groups (POPGRPs) to collect outlet data for sourcing outlets for new 
PSUs to accommodate needed outlet data for the CPI sample redesign.
    Additionally, recall apparel questions which do not pertain to 
current interview items will be deleted. Additionally, the business 
screener question follow-up text will be deleted as Field 
Representatives (FRs) indicated it caused confusion.
    In the CED, CE requests clearance to delete the following from the 
cover of the current Diary collection form: ``If you have comments 
regarding this survey, please email [email protected]''. There are 
currently two points of contact listed on the form, the field 
representative and BLS. This will eliminate any confusion for the 
respondent regarding a point of contact.
    Additionally, minor wording changes were made to both the online 
diary user guide, `Welcome' email, and `Reminder' email to ease 
understanding.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.
     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: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The 
Quarterly Interview and the Diary.
    OMB Number: 1220-0050.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

[[Page 47991]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Total                           Total       Average time      Estimated
              Form                  respondents      Frequency       responses     per response    total burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CEQ Interview...................           4,475               4          17,900              63          18,795
CEQ Reinterview.................           2,148               1           2,148              10             358
CED Record-keeping..............           6,050               2          12,100              60          12,100
CED Interview...................           6,050               2          12,100              19           3,832
CED Reinterview.................           1,210               1           1,210              10             202
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................          10,525  ..............          45,458  ..............          35,287
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 this 29th day of May, 2024.
Eric Molina,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2024-12163 Filed 6-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P
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