85 FR 140 pg. 44108 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer Price Index Commodities and Services Survey
Type: NOTICEVolume: 85Number: 140Page: 44108
Page: 44108FR document: [FR Doc. 2020–15595 Filed 7–20–20; 8:45 am]
Agency: Labor Department
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
[top]
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer Price Index Commodities and Services Survey
ACTION:
Notice of availability; request for comments.
SUMMARY:
The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.
DATES:
The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before August 20, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting "Currently under 30-day Review-Open for Public Comments" or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anthony May by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) if the information will be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Under the direction of the Secretary of Labor, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is directed by law to collect, collate, and report full and complete statistics on the conditions of labor and the products and distribution of the products of the same; the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is one of these statistics. The collection of data from a wide spectrum of retail establishments and government agencies is essential for the timely and accurate calculation of the Commodities and Services (C&S) component of the CPI. The CPI is the only index compiled by the U.S. Government that is designed to measure changes in the purchasing power of the urban consumer's dollar. The CPI is a measure of the average change in prices over time paid by urban consumers for a market basket of goods and services. The CPI is used most widely as a measure of inflation, and serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of government economic policy. It is also used as a deflator of other economic series, that is, to adjust other series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the Gross Domestic Product. A third major use of the CPI is to adjust income payments. Over 2 million workers are covered by collective bargaining contracts, which provide for increases in wage rates based on increases in the CPI. At least eight states have laws that link the adjustment in state minimum wage to the changes in the CPI. In addition, as a result of statutory action, the CPI affects the income of almost 132 million of Americans: 64 Million Social Security beneficiaries, 4 million military and Federal Civil Service retirees, and 34 million food stamp recipients have cost-of-living adjustments tied to the CPI. Changes in the CPI also affect the cost of lunches for 30 million children who eat lunch at school. Under the National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act, national average payments for those lunches and breakfasts are adjusted annually by the Secretary of Agriculture on the basis of the change in the CPI series, "Food away from Home." Since 1985, the CPI has been used to adjust the Federal income tax structure to prevent inflation-induced tax rate increases. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2020 (85 FR 10190).
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 the OMB approves it 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 OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for three (3) years. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes that information collection requirements submitted to the OMB for existing ICRs receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review.
Agency: DOL-BLS.
Title of Collection: Consumer Price Index Commodities and Services Survey.
OMB Control Number: 1220-0039.
Affected Public: Private Sector: Businesses or other for-profits, individuals and households, state/local/tribal governments.
Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 52,047.
Total Estimated Number of Responses: 336,423.
Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 121,405 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.
Authority:
44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).
Dated: July 13, 2020.
Anthony May,
Management and Program Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2020-15595 Filed 7-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P