Change Justification

Information Collection Title

OMB Control Number 1910-5179 Expiration 2027 

Justification for No Material/Nonsubstantive Change

To comply with CY2025 Executive Orders, we seek approval to update or delete the following questions:

1. Action: Update one question in line with EO 14168¹, to remove the word “gender.”

• Question #20 –

  • Update the term “gender” to “sex”

  • Remove option C “gender-non-binary/other”

• Justification: Per Sec. 2.  Policy and Definitions.  It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female.  

Previous	Updated for 2026 USEER Survey
Thinking of your [Take Q3/Q4] [energy/ SI] employees, how many are:    Men: Record # employees ____________  Women: Record # of employees _________  Gender non-binary/other: Record # of employees _________  (DON’T READ) Refused	Thinking of your [Take Q3/Q4] [energy/ SI] employees, how many are:    Men: Record # employees ____________  Women: Record # of employees _________  (DON’T READ) Refused

2. Action: Remove seven questions consistent with EO 14173² requirements.

• Question #31 – Remove

• Question #32 – Remove

• Question #33 – Remove

• Question #34 – Remove

• Question #35 – Remove

• Question #36 – Remove

• Question #37 – Remove

• Justification: Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect the civil rights of all Americans and to promote individual initiative, excellence, and hard work. I therefore order all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to terminate all discriminatory and illegal preferences, mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, and requirements. I further order all agencies to enforce our longstanding civil-rights laws and to combat illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.

Previous	Removed for 2026 USEER Survey
31. Has your firm adopted any specific strategies, policies, or programs to increase the number of female hires?    Yes    No   DK/NA
IF Q31 = 1, ASK Q32  Briefly describe the strategies, policies, or programs to increase female hires?
Has your firm adopted any specific strategies, policies, or programs to increase the number of ethnic or racial minority hires?    Yes    No   DK/NA
IF Q33 = 1, ASK Q34  Briefly describe the strategies, policies, or programs to increase minority hires?
Has your firm adopted any specific strategies, policies, or programs to increase the number of LGBTQ+ hires?    Yes    No   DK/NA
IF Q35 = 1, ASK Q36  Briefly describe the strategies, policies, or programs to increase LGBTQ+ hires?
Does your firm offer or require a diversity and/or inclusion training program aimed at advocating workplace diversity and inclusion?    Yes    No   DK/NA

3. Remove one question that is no longer relevant due to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB)³.

• Question #52 – Remove.

• Justification: Since the Passing of the OBBB, this question is no longer relevant.

Previous	Removed for 2026 USEER Survey
How important are the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and other federal policies and investments to your company’s growth?    Very important  Somewhat important  Not at all important  Don’t know/ Refused

1 Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government – The White House

2 Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity – The White House

3 H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): One Big Beautiful Bill Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress