The Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS) requests an emergency 180-day approval of an
emergency Information Collection Request (ICR) to add six questions
to the Consumer Expenditure Quarterly (CEQ) survey on the stimulus
payment made by the Federal Government in response to the
coronavirus pandemic and to modify procedures for the Consumer
Expenditure Diary (CED) survey to limit exposure of staff and
respondents.
These questions are
necessary to measure the effect of the stimulus payments sent
directly to many households in response to the coronavirus
pandemic. Addition of the questions are needed to facilitate a
timely and effective collection of expenditure data resulting from
the stimulus. Economic data are used to evaluate the intended
effect of the stimulus and to adequately explain changes in
expenditure patterns that result from the coronavirus
pandemic.
US Code:
13 USC
8b Name of Law: Census Authorizing Statute
US Code: 29 USC
2 Name of Law: BLS Authorizing Statute
This is a new collection to
collect information on the effects of the stimulus payments
received due to the coronavirus pandemic. The questions will be
collected beginning in June and continue until November, along with
the regular CEQ collection. There are also modifications to the
Diary collection procedures, due to the inability to do personal
visits, adding additional collection time. The estimated additional
burden for the CEQ is 61 hours and for the CED is 849 hours for a
total of 910 additional hours of burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.