[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30980-30981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14205]


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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.

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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 extension of the ``Consumer Price 
Index Housing Survey.'' A copy of the proposed

[[Page 30981]]

information collection request (ICR) 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 31, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses 
Section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the timeliest instrument 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 used most 
widely as a measure of inflation, and is used in the formulation of 
economic policy. It also is 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.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
CPI Housing Survey. The continuation of the collection of housing rents 
for the CPI is essential since the CPI is the nation's chief source of 
information on retail price changes. If the information on rents were 
not collected, Federal fiscal and monetary policies would be hampered 
due to the lack of information on price changes in a major sector of 
the U.S. economy, and estimates of the real value of the Gross Domestic 
Product could not be made. The consequences to both the Federal and 
private sectors would be far reaching and would have serious 
repercussions on Federal government policy and institutions.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
    <bullet> 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: CPI Housing Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0163.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit.
    Total Respondents: 75,769.
    Frequency: Semi-annually.
    Total Responses: 129,778.
    Average Time per Response: 5.89560 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 12,752 hours.
    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, this 27th day of June 2018.
Eric P. Molina,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2018-14205 Filed 6-29-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P