81_FR_71738 81 FR 71538 - Statistical Policy Directive No. 4 Addendum: Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units

81 FR 71538 - Statistical Policy Directive No. 4 Addendum: Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 200 (October 17, 2016)

Page Range71538-71542
FR Document2016-25049

Under the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 1104 (d)) and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3504 (e)), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issues for comment a proposed Addendum to Statistical Policy Directive No. 4: Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies (73 FR 12622, Mar. 7, 2008). This Addendum reflects the ongoing commitment of the Federal statistical system to ensure relevant, accurate, objective, and accessible Federal statistics to the Nation. In its role as coordinator of the Federal statistical system under the Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB, among other responsibilities, is required to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. A key method used by OMB to achieve this responsibility is the promulgation and oversight of Government-wide principles, policies, standards, and guidelines concerning the development, presentation, and dissemination of statistical products. Accordingly, OMB proposes an Addendum to strengthen provisions in its Statistical Policy Directive No. 4. The Addendum would ensure systematic review of the production and dissemination of key statistical products of Federal statistical agencies and recognized statistical units and of how these products conform to the responsibilities identified in Statistical Policy Directive No. 1: Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units (79 FR 71610, Dec. 2, 2014). Additional discussion of the proposed Addendum may be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71538-71542]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25049]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Statistical Policy Directive No. 4 Addendum: Release and 
Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical 
Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units

AGENCY: Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and 
Budget.

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of Comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 
U.S.C. 1104 (d)) and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3504 (e)), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issues for comment 
a proposed Addendum to Statistical Policy Directive No. 4: Release and 
Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical 
Agencies (73 FR 12622, Mar. 7, 2008). This Addendum reflects the 
ongoing commitment of the Federal statistical system to ensure 
relevant, accurate, objective, and accessible Federal statistics to the 
Nation.
    In its role as coordinator of the Federal statistical system under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB, among other responsibilities, is 
required to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. A 
key method used by OMB to achieve this responsibility is the 
promulgation and oversight of Government-wide principles, policies, 
standards, and guidelines concerning the development, presentation, and 
dissemination of statistical products. Accordingly, OMB proposes an 
Addendum to strengthen provisions in its Statistical Policy Directive 
No. 4. The Addendum would ensure systematic review of the production 
and dissemination of key statistical products of Federal statistical 
agencies and recognized statistical units and of how these products 
conform to the responsibilities identified in Statistical Policy 
Directive No. 1: Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical 
Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units (79 FR 71610, Dec. 2, 2014). 
Additional discussion of the proposed Addendum may be found in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Comments and recommendations on the proposed Addendum detailed 
in this notice must be in writing. To ensure consideration of comments, 
they must be received no later than 45 days from the publication date 
of this notice. Because of delays in the receipt of regular mail 
related to security screening, respondents are encouraged to send 
comments electronically via email, or www.regulations.gov (discussed in 
ADDRESSES below).

ADDRESSES: Please send any comments or questions about this directive 
to: Katherine K. Wallman, Chief Statistician, Office of Management and 
Budget, 1800 G St., 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20503. You may also send 
comments or questions via email to [email protected] or to 
www.regulations.gov--a Federal E-Government Web site that allows the 
public to find, review, and submit comments on documents that agencies 
have published in the Federal Register and that are open for comment. 
Simply type ``OMB-2016-0003'' (in quotes) in the Comment or Submission 
search box, click Go, and follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice may be made available 
to the public through relevant Web sites. For this reason, please do 
not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, such 
as sensitive personal information or proprietary information. If you 
send an email comment, your email address will be automatically 
captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the 
public docket. Please note that responses to this public comment 
request containing any routine notice about the confidentiality of the 
communication will be treated as public comments that may be made 
available to the public notwithstanding the inclusion of the routine 
notice.
    This document is available on the Internet on the OMB Web site at 
www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/directive4/frn_comment_stat_policy_dir_4_addendum.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Park, 1800 G St., 9th Floor, 
Washington, DC 20503, email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The Nation relies on the flow of accurate, reliable, 
and independent statistics to support the decisions of governments, 
businesses, individuals, households, and other organizations. Federal 
statistical agencies release many of the statistics available about the 
United States' economy, population, natural resources, environment, and 
public and private institutions.
    Consistent with the Information Quality Act (Pub. L. 106-554, 
Division C, title V, Sec. 515, Dec. 21, 2000; 114 Stat. 2763A-153 to 
2763A-154) and in

[[Page 71539]]

accordance with Statistical Policy Directive No. 1: Fundamental 
Responsibilities of Federal Statistical Agencies and Recognized 
Statistical Units (79 FR 71610, Dec. 2, 2014), it is the responsibility 
of Federal agencies engaging in statistical work to support the quality 
and accessibility of the Federal statistical information our Nation 
uses to monitor and assess performance, progress, and needs. It is 
therefore essential that Federal statistical agencies and recognized 
statistical units systematically evaluate and continuously improve the 
quality and accessibility of their statistical products.
    Systematic review with the aim of continuous improvement is 
recognized in Federal guidelines provided in Statistical Policy 
Directive No. 3: Compilation, Release, and Evaluation of Principal 
Federal Economic Indicators (50 FR 38932, Sep. 25, 1985). Statistical 
Policy Directive No. 3 requires agencies that issue Principal Federal 
Economic Indicators (PFEIs) to submit performance evaluations of each 
PFEI to the Statistical Policy Office every three years. This review 
ensures that certain key statistical products are prepared and 
published in conformity with Federal information quality standards as 
framed in Statistical Policy Directive No. 1.
    The requirements set forth in Statistical Policy Directive No. 3 
pertain to PFEIs. However, several other Federal statistical products 
are also foundational to the interests of the public and the needs of 
the government. These span, for example, the measurement of educational 
attainment to the measurement of disability. Recognizing this need, OMB 
issued Statistical Policy Directive No. 4: Release and Dissemination of 
Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies (73 FR 
12622, Mar. 7, 2008) to provide detailed guidance to Federal 
statistical agencies and recognized statistical units regarding the 
production and dissemination of statistical products other than PFEIs.
    Development and Review: Statistical Policy Directive No. 4 remains 
a robust and comprehensive source of guidance. However, periodic 
updates and addenda ensure that this Directive remains most useful to 
Federal agencies.
    In November 2014, OMB requested agency and department heads for 
selected Executive Branch agencies and departments to provide feedback 
on Statistical Policy Directive No. 1 through M-15-03 Department 
Support for Implementation of Statistical Policy Directive No. 1: 
Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical Agencies and 
Recognized Statistical Units. Responses identified best practices, new 
challenges, and areas in need of future support. Among the challenges 
noted was the desire for continuous self-improvement in the timeliness 
and accessibility of Federal statistical products in an era of modern 
data needs and information technology. Communicating these findings 
would support the Federal statistical system broadly in an effort to 
leverage efficiencies.
    In response to this feedback, OMB examined its current guidance. 
Although similar in many respects to Statistical Policy Directive No. 3 
(pertaining to PFEIs), one provision of Statistical Policy Directive 
No. 3 is not currently found in Statistical Policy Directive No. 4. 
Specifically, there is currently no provision in Statistical Policy 
Directive No. 4 for systematic agency self-review and reporting of its 
key statistical products for conformance with OMB information quality 
and statistical policy requirements. Systematic agency self-review is 
recognized in Statistical Policy Directive No. 1 as the cornerstone for 
continuous improvement of Federal statistical agencies' products and 
services. Additionally, these self-reviews would allow users to better 
evaluate the quality of the statistics produced by Federal statistical 
agencies and recognized statistical units.
    Proposed Addendum: For ease of review, this Notice publishes the 
entirety of Statistical Policy Directive No. 4; the proposed Addendum 
appears here at the end of Statistical Policy Directive No. 4 in bold 
font as Section 10 Performance Review. This Addendum does not remove 
nor replace any of the standards and guidelines currently identified in 
Statistical Policy Directive No. 4. Instead, this Addendum is intended 
to expand on the guidelines as part of the continuing efforts of the 
Federal statistical system to ensure the relevance, accuracy, and 
objectivity of Federal statistics. The Addendum would apply to Federal 
statistical agencies and recognized statistical units as described in 
Section 3 Statistical Agencies or Units of Statistical Policy Directive 
No. 4. Agencies would identify specific, key statistical products to be 
reviewed, in consultation with OMB.
    Issues for Comment: With this Notice, OMB seeks comments from all 
interested parties on the purpose, scope, and periodicity of the 
proposed agency reviews and reports on the production and dissemination 
procedures for key statistical products. In addition, OMB seeks comment 
from affected agencies on the expected benefits and burdens of the 
proposed Addendum.

Howard A. Shelanski,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Statistical Policy Directive No. 4: Release and Dissemination of 
Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies

Authority and Purpose

    This Directive provides guidance to Federal statistical agencies on 
the release and dissemination of statistical products. The Directive is 
issued under the authority of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act 
of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 1104(d)), the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3504(e)), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policies 
including the Information Quality Act guidelines (67 FR 8451-8460) and 
OMB Circular No. A-130. Under the Information Quality Act (Pub. L. 106-
554, Division C, title V, Sec. 515, Dec. 21, 2000; 114 Stat. 2763A-153 
to 2763A-154; 44 U.S.C. Section 3516 note) and associated guidelines, 
agencies are to maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and 
integrity of information, including statistical information, provided 
to the public. This includes making information available on an 
equitable and timely basis. The procedures in this Directive are 
intended to ensure that statistical data releases adhere to data 
quality standards through equitable, policy-neutral, transparent, and 
timely release of information to the general public.

Introduction

    Statistics produced by the Federal Government are used to shape 
policies, manage and monitor programs, identify problems and 
opportunities for improvement, track progress, and measure change. 
These statistics must meet high standards of reliability, accuracy, 
timeliness, and objectivity in order to provide a sound and efficient 
basis for decisions and actions by governments, businesses, households, 
and other organizations. These data must be objective and free of bias 
in their presentation and available to all in forms that are readily 
accessible and understandable.
    To be collected and used efficiently, statistical products must 
gain and preserve the trust of the respondent and user communities; 
data must be collected and distributed free of any perceived or actual 
partisan intervention. Widespread recognition of the Federal 
statistical system's policy- neutral data collection and dissemination 
fosters such trust. This

[[Page 71540]]

trust, in turn, engenders greater cooperation from respondents and 
higher quality statistics for data users.
    1. Scope. This Statistical Policy Directive applies to the full 
range of statistical products disseminated by Federal statistical 
agencies or units. However, the Directive excludes coverage of the 
Principal Federal Economic Indicators addressed in Statistical Policy 
Directive No. 3, Compilation, Release, and Evaluation of Principal 
Federal Economic Indicators, which have their own established release 
and evaluation procedures. Unless otherwise specified in statute, 
statistical agencies or units are directly and solely responsible for 
the content, quality, and dissemination of their products. When 
implementing this Directive, statistical agencies must follow all 
relevant Statistical Policy Directives and guidance including the 
principles and practices presented in OMB's Information Quality 
Guidelines and Statistical Policy Directives providing standards and 
guidelines for statistical surveys.
    2. Statistical Products. Statistical products are, generally, 
information dissemination products that are published or otherwise made 
available for public use that describe, estimate, forecast, or analyze 
the characteristics of groups, customarily without identifying the 
persons, organizations, or individual data observations that comprise 
such groups. Statistical products include general-purpose tabulations, 
analyses, projections, forecasts, or other statistical reports. For 
purposes of this Directive, a ``statistical press release'' is an 
announcement to media of a statistical product release that contains 
the title, subject matter, release date, and Internet address of, and 
other available information about the statistical product, as well as 
the name of the statistical agency issuing the product, and may include 
any executive summary information or key findings section as shown in 
the statistical product. A statistical press release announcing or 
presenting statistical data is defined as a statistical product and is 
covered by the provisions of this Directive. Federal statistical 
agencies or units may issue their statistical products in printed and/
or electronic form, but must provide access to them on their Internet 
sites. Agencies should assess the needs of data users and provide a 
range of products to address those needs by whatever means practicable. 
Information to help users interpret data accurately, including 
transparent descriptions of the sources and methodologies used to 
produce the data, must be equitably available for Federal statistical 
products. With the exception of compilations of statistical information 
collected and assembled from other statistical products, these products 
shall contain or reference appropriate information on the strengths and 
limitations of the methodologies, data sources, and data used to 
produce them as well as other information such as explanations of other 
related measures to assist users in the appropriate treatment and 
interpretation of the data.
    3. Statistical Agencies or Units. As identified under OMB's 
implementation guidance (72 FR 33362, 33368, June 15, 2007) for the 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 
2002 (Pub. L. 107-347, Title V; 116 Stat. 2962; 44 U.S.C. Section 3501 
note), a Federal statistical agency is an organizational unit of the 
executive branch whose activities are predominantly the collection, 
compilation, processing, or analysis of information for statistical 
purposes. Statistical purpose means the description, estimation, or 
analysis of the characteristics of groups, customarily without 
identifying the persons, organizations, or individual data observations 
that comprise such groups, as well as researching, developing, 
implementing, maintaining, or evaluating methods, administrative or 
technical procedures, or information resources that support such 
purposes. A statistical agency or unit may be labeled an 
administration, bureau, center, division, office, service, or similar 
title, so long as it is recognized as a distinct entity. When a 
statistical agency provides services for a separate sponsoring agency 
on a reimbursable basis, the provisions of this Directive normally 
shall apply to the sponsoring agency.
    4. Timing of Release. The timing of the release of statistical 
products, including statistical press releases, regardless of physical 
form or characteristic, shall be the sole responsibility of the 
statistical agency or unit that is directly responsible for the 
content, quality, and dissemination of the data. Agencies should 
minimize the interval between the period to which the data refer and 
the date when the product is released to the public.
    5. Notification of Release. Prior to the beginning of the calendar 
year, the releasing statistical agency shall annually provide the 
public with a schedule of when each regular or recurring statistical 
product is expected to be released during the upcoming calendar year by 
publishing it on its Web site. Agencies must issue any revisions to the 
release schedule in a timely manner on their Web sites.
    6. Dissemination. Statistical agencies must ensure that all users 
have equitable and timely access to data that are disseminated to the 
public. If there are revisions to the data after an initial release, 
notification must also be given to the public about these changes in an 
equitable and timely manner. A statistical agency should strive for the 
widest, most accessible, and appropriate dissemination of its 
statistical products and ensure transparency in its dissemination 
practices by providing complete documentation of its dissemination 
policies on its Web site. The statistical agency is responsible for 
ensuring that this documentation remains accurate by reviewing and 
updating it regularly so that it reflects the agency's current 
dissemination practices. In unusual circumstances, the requirement that 
all users initially have equitable and timely access to statistical 
products may be waived by the releasing statistical agency if the head 
of the agency determines that the value of a particular type of 
statistical product, such as health or safety information, is so time-
sensitive to specific stakeholders that normal procedures to ensure 
equitable and timely access to all users would unduly delay the release 
of urgent findings to those to whom the information is critical. All 
such instances must be reported to OMB within 30 calendar days of the 
agency's waiver determination.
    Agencies should use a variety of vehicles to attain a data 
dissemination program designed to reach data users in an equitable and 
timely manner. Federal statistical agencies or units may issue their 
statistical products in printed and/or electronic form, but must 
provide access to them on their Internet sites. In undertaking any 
dissemination of statistical products, agencies must continue to ensure 
that they have fulfilled their responsibilities to preserve the 
confidentiality and security of respondent data. When appropriate to 
facilitate in-depth research, and feasible in the presence of resource 
constraints, statistical agencies should provide public access to 
microdata files with secure safeguards to protect the confidentiality 
of individually- identifiable responses and with readily accessible 
documentation, metadata, or other means to facilitate user access to 
and manipulation of the data.
    Statistical agencies are encouraged to use a variety of forums and 
strategies to release their statistical products. These include 
conferences, exhibits, presentations, workshops, list serves, the 
Government Printing Office, public

[[Page 71541]]

libraries, and outreach to the media including news conferences and 
statistical press releases as well as media briefings to improve the 
media's understanding of the data and the quality and extent of media 
coverage of the statistics.

a. Outreach to the Media

    To accelerate and/or expand the dissemination of data to the 
public, statistical agencies are encouraged to issue a statistical 
press release when releasing their products. To maintain a clear 
distinction between statistical data and policy interpretations of such 
data, the statistical press release must be produced and issued by the 
statistical agency and must provide a policy-neutral description of the 
data; it must not include policy pronouncements. To the extent that any 
policy pronouncements are to be made regarding the data, those 
pronouncements are to be made by Federal executive policy officials, 
not by the statistical agency. Accordingly, these policy officials may 
issue separate independent statements on the data being released by the 
statistical agency, and policy officials of the issuing department may 
review the draft statistical press release to ensure that it does not 
include policy pronouncements.
    In cases in which the statistical unit currently relies on its 
parent agency for the public affairs function, the statistical agency 
should coordinate with public affairs officials from the parent 
organization on the dissemination aspects of the statistical press 
release process, including planning and scheduling of annual release 
dates.

b. Pre-Release Access to Final Statistical Products

    The purpose of pre-release access is to foster improved public 
understanding of the data when they are first released and the accuracy 
of any initial commentary about the information contained in the 
product. To support the goal of maximizing the public's access to 
informed discussions of the data when they are first released, 
statistical agencies may provide pre-release access to their final 
statistical products. A statistical product is final when the releasing 
statistical agency determines that the product fully meets the agency's 
data quality standards based on all presently available information and 
requires no further changes. Pre-release access to final statistical 
products may be provided under embargo or through secure pre-release 
access. The releasing statistical agency determines which final 
statistical products will be made available under these pre-release 
provisions and which method of pre- release will be employed.

c. Embargo

    Embargo means that pre-release access is provided with the explicit 
acknowledgement of the receiving party that the information cannot be 
further disseminated or used in any unauthorized manner before a 
specific date and time.
    The statistical agency may grant pre-release access via an embargo 
under the following conditions:
    1. The agency shall establish arrangements and impose conditions on 
the granting of an embargo that are necessary to ensure that there is 
no unauthorized dissemination or use.
    2. The agency shall ensure that any person or organization granted 
access under an embargo has been fully informed of, and has 
acknowledged acceptance of, these conditions.
    3. In all cases, pre-release access via an embargo shall precede 
the official release time only to the extent necessary for an orderly 
release of the data.
    4. If an embargo is broken, the agency must release the data to the 
public immediately.

d. Secure Pre-Release Access

    For some data that are particularly sensitive or move markets, 
statistical agency heads may choose to provide secure pre-release 
access. Secure pre- release access means that pre-release access is 
provided only within the confines of secure physical facilities with no 
external communications capability. When the head of a releasing 
statistical agency determines that secure pre-release access is 
required, the agency shall provide pre-release access to final 
statistical products only when it uses secure pre-release procedures.
    7. Announcement of Changes in Data Series. Statistical agencies 
shall announce, in an appropriate and accessible manner as far in 
advance of the change as possible, significant planned changes in data 
collection, analysis, or estimation methods that may affect the 
interpretation of their data series. In the first report affected by 
the change, the agency must include a complete description of the 
change and its effects and place the description on its Internet site, 
if the report is not otherwise available there.
    8. Revisions and Corrections of Data. For some statistical 
products, statistical agencies produce preliminary estimates or initial 
releases that will subsequently be updated and finalized. Whenever 
preliminary data are released, they must be identified as preliminary 
and the release must indicate that an updated or final revision is 
expected. In applicable cases, the expected date of such revisions must 
be included. Reference to the preliminary release and appropriate 
explanations of the methodology and reasons for the revisions must be 
provided or referenced in any updated or final releases.
    Consistent with each agency's information quality guidelines, 
statistical agencies must also establish and implement policies for 
handling unscheduled corrections due to previously unrecognized errors. 
Agencies have an obligation to alert users as quickly as possible to 
any such changes, to explain corrections or revisions that result from 
any unscheduled corrections, and to make appropriate changes in all 
product formats--including statistical press releases.
    9. Granting of Exceptions. Prior to any action being taken that may 
be inconsistent with the provisions of this Directive, the head of a 
releasing statistical agency shall consult with OMB's Administrator for 
Information and Regulatory Affairs. If the Administrator determines 
that the action is inconsistent with the provisions of this Directive, 
the head of the releasing statistical agency may apply for an 
exception. The Administrator may authorize exceptions to the provisions 
in sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of this Directive. Any agency requesting 
an exception must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Administrator 
that the proposed exception is necessary and is consistent with the 
purposes of this Directive.

Proposed Addendum

    10. Performance Review. Each Federal statistical agency shall 
submit an annual performance review of the production and dissemination 
of its key statistical products to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs. Each agency will identify its key statistical 
products for review purposes, in consultation with OMB.
    The review shall address the following issues:
    (a) The accuracy and reliability of the series, e.g., the magnitude 
and direction of all revisions, the performance of the series relative 
to established benchmarks, and the proportion and effect of 
nonresponses or responses received after the publication of preliminary 
estimates;
    (b) the accuracy, completeness, and accessibility of documentation 
describing the methods used in compiling and revising the product;

[[Page 71542]]

    (c) the agency's performance in meeting its established release 
schedule and the prompt release objective of this Directive;
    (d) the agency's ability to avoid disclosure prior to the scheduled 
release time;
    (e) any additional issues (such as periodicity, electronic access, 
etc.) that the Administrator for Information and Regulatory Affairs 
specifies in writing to the agency at least 6 months in advance of the 
scheduled submission date.
    The evaluation will be reviewed by the Administrator to determine 
whether the statistical products are prepared and published in 
conformity with OMB statistical policies, standards, and guidelines. A 
summary of the year's evaluations and their reviews will be included in 
the annual report to Congress required by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3504(e)).

[FR Doc. 2016-25049 Filed 10-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P



                                                  71538                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Notices

                                                  same information regarding eligibility                  OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND                              the receipt of regular mail related to
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                                                     The Fund may require an eligible                                                                           encouraged to send comments
                                                                                                          Statistical Policy Directive No. 4                    electronically via email, or
                                                  claimant to supplement his or her
                                                                                                          Addendum: Release and                                 www.regulations.gov (discussed in
                                                  application by submitting additional                    Dissemination of Statistical Products                 ADDRESSES below).
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                                                  forms include information related to: (1)               Agencies and Recognized Statistical
                                                  An acknowledgment and certification                                                                           or questions about this directive to:
                                                                                                          Units                                                 Katherine K. Wallman, Chief
                                                  by applicants and their attorneys
                                                                                                          AGENCY: Executive Office of the                       Statistician, Office of Management and
                                                  regarding the statutory provision on the
                                                                                                          President, Office of Management and                   Budget, 1800 G St., 9th Floor,
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                                                  identified by an applicant regarding his                                                                      www.regulations.gov—a Federal E-
                                                  or her claim; (3) a proposed distribution               SUMMARY:     Under the Budget and                     Government Web site that allows the
                                                  plan and corresponding consent to the                   Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31                 public to find, review, and submit
                                                  proposed distribution plan in claims                    U.S.C. 1104 (d)) and the Paperwork                    comments on documents that agencies
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                                                  Filing Claim for use by those applicants                Budget (OMB) issues for comment a                     type ‘‘OMB–2016–0003’’ (in quotes) in
                                                  filing claims on behalf of deceased                     proposed Addendum to Statistical                      the Comment or Submission search box,
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                                                  in part; and (7) electronic payment                     This Addendum reflects the ongoing                    public through relevant Web sites. For
                                                  information.                                            commitment of the Federal statistical                 this reason, please do not include in
                                                                                                          system to ensure relevant, accurate,                  your comments information of a
                                                     5. An estimate of the total number of                objective, and accessible Federal                     confidential nature, such as sensitive
                                                  respondents and the amount of time                      statistics to the Nation.                             personal information or proprietary
                                                  estimated for an average respondent to                     In its role as coordinator of the                  information. If you send an email
                                                  respond: It is estimated that 700                       Federal statistical system under the                  comment, your email address will be
                                                  respondents may complete the                            Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB, among                   automatically captured and included as
                                                  Application Form. It is estimated that                  other responsibilities, is required to                part of the comment that is placed in the
                                                  respondents will complete the paper                     ensure the efficiency and effectiveness               public docket. Please note that
                                                  form in an average of 2 hours, and the                  of the system. A key method used by                   responses to this public comment
                                                  electronic form in an average of 1.5                    OMB to achieve this responsibility is                 request containing any routine notice
                                                  hours.                                                  the promulgation and oversight of                     about the confidentiality of the
                                                     6. An estimate of the total public                   Government-wide principles, policies,                 communication will be treated as public
                                                                                                          standards, and guidelines concerning                  comments that may be made available to
                                                  burden (in hours) associated with the
                                                                                                          the development, presentation, and                    the public notwithstanding the
                                                  collection: The estimated public burden
                                                                                                          dissemination of statistical products.                inclusion of the routine notice.
                                                  associated with this collection is 1,400                Accordingly, OMB proposes an                             This document is available on the
                                                  hours.                                                  Addendum to strengthen provisions in                  Internet on the OMB Web site at
                                                     If additional information is required                its Statistical Policy Directive No. 4. The           www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/
                                                  contact: Jerri Murray, Department                       Addendum would ensure systematic                      omb/inforeg/directive4/frn_comment_
                                                  Clearance Officer, United States                        review of the production and                          stat_policy_dir_4_addendum.pdf.
                                                  Department of Justice, Justice                          dissemination of key statistical products             FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  Management Division, Policy and                         of Federal statistical agencies and                   Jennifer Park, 1800 G St., 9th Floor,
                                                  Planning Staff, Two Constitution                        recognized statistical units and of how               Washington, DC 20503, email address:
                                                  Square, 145 N Street NE., 3E–405B,                      these products conform to the                         Directive_No._4@omb.eop.gov.
                                                  Washington, DC 20530.                                   responsibilities identified in Statistical            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                          Policy Directive No. 1: Fundamental                      Background: The Nation relies on the
                                                    Dated: October 12, 2016.
                                                                                                          Responsibilities of Federal Statistical               flow of accurate, reliable, and
                                                  Jerri Murray,                                           Agencies and Recognized Statistical                   independent statistics to support the
                                                  Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S.              Units (79 FR 71610, Dec. 2, 2014).                    decisions of governments, businesses,
                                                  Department of Justice.                                  Additional discussion of the proposed                 individuals, households, and other
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–25011 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]            Addendum may be found in the                          organizations. Federal statistical
                                                  BILLING CODE 4410–14–P                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section                     agencies release many of the statistics
                                                                                                          below.                                                available about the United States’
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                                                                                                          DATES: Comments and                                   economy, population, natural resources,
                                                                                                          recommendations on the proposed                       environment, and public and private
                                                                                                          Addendum detailed in this notice must                 institutions.
                                                                                                          be in writing. To ensure consideration                   Consistent with the Information
                                                                                                          of comments, they must be received no                 Quality Act (Pub. L. 106–554, Division
                                                                                                          later than 45 days from the publication               C, title V, Sec. 515, Dec. 21, 2000; 114
                                                                                                          date of this notice. Because of delays in             Stat. 2763A–153 to 2763A–154) and in


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                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Notices                                              71539

                                                  accordance with Statistical Policy                      Units. Responses identified best                      on the expected benefits and burdens of
                                                  Directive No. 1: Fundamental                            practices, new challenges, and areas in               the proposed Addendum.
                                                  Responsibilities of Federal Statistical                 need of future support. Among the
                                                                                                                                                                Howard A. Shelanski,
                                                  Agencies and Recognized Statistical                     challenges noted was the desire for
                                                                                                                                                                Administrator, Office of Information and
                                                  Units (79 FR 71610, Dec. 2, 2014), it is                continuous self-improvement in the                    Regulatory Affairs.
                                                  the responsibility of Federal agencies                  timeliness and accessibility of Federal
                                                  engaging in statistical work to support                 statistical products in an era of modern              Statistical Policy Directive No. 4:
                                                  the quality and accessibility of the                    data needs and information technology.                Release and Dissemination of Statistical
                                                  Federal statistical information our                     Communicating these findings would                    Products Produced by Federal
                                                  Nation uses to monitor and assess                       support the Federal statistical system                Statistical Agencies
                                                  performance, progress, and needs. It is                 broadly in an effort to leverage                      Authority and Purpose
                                                  therefore essential that Federal                        efficiencies.
                                                  statistical agencies and recognized                                                                             This Directive provides guidance to
                                                  statistical units systematically evaluate                  In response to this feedback, OMB                  Federal statistical agencies on the
                                                  and continuously improve the quality                    examined its current guidance.                        release and dissemination of statistical
                                                  and accessibility of their statistical                  Although similar in many respects to                  products. The Directive is issued under
                                                  products.                                               Statistical Policy Directive No. 3                    the authority of the Budget and
                                                    Systematic review with the aim of                     (pertaining to PFEIs), one provision of               Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31
                                                  continuous improvement is recognized                    Statistical Policy Directive No. 3 is not             U.S.C. 1104(d)), the Paperwork
                                                  in Federal guidelines provided in                       currently found in Statistical Policy                 Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
                                                  Statistical Policy Directive No. 3:                     Directive No. 4. Specifically, there is               3504(e)), and Office of Management and
                                                  Compilation, Release, and Evaluation of                 currently no provision in Statistical                 Budget (OMB) policies including the
                                                  Principal Federal Economic Indicators                   Policy Directive No. 4 for systematic                 Information Quality Act guidelines (67
                                                  (50 FR 38932, Sep. 25, 1985). Statistical               agency self-review and reporting of its               FR 8451–8460) and OMB Circular No.
                                                  Policy Directive No. 3 requires agencies                key statistical products for conformance              A–130. Under the Information Quality
                                                  that issue Principal Federal Economic                   with OMB information quality and                      Act (Pub. L. 106–554, Division C, title
                                                  Indicators (PFEIs) to submit                            statistical policy requirements.                      V, Sec. 515, Dec. 21, 2000; 114 Stat.
                                                  performance evaluations of each PFEI to                 Systematic agency self-review is                      2763A–153 to 2763A–154; 44 U.S.C.
                                                  the Statistical Policy Office every three               recognized in Statistical Policy Directive            Section 3516 note) and associated
                                                  years. This review ensures that certain                 No. 1 as the cornerstone for continuous               guidelines, agencies are to maximize the
                                                  key statistical products are prepared and               improvement of Federal statistical                    quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity
                                                  published in conformity with Federal                    agencies’ products and services.                      of information, including statistical
                                                  information quality standards as framed                 Additionally, these self-reviews would                information, provided to the public.
                                                  in Statistical Policy Directive No. 1.                  allow users to better evaluate the quality            This includes making information
                                                    The requirements set forth in                         of the statistics produced by Federal                 available on an equitable and timely
                                                  Statistical Policy Directive No. 3 pertain              statistical agencies and recognized                   basis. The procedures in this Directive
                                                  to PFEIs. However, several other Federal                statistical units.                                    are intended to ensure that statistical
                                                  statistical products are also foundational                 Proposed Addendum: For ease of                     data releases adhere to data quality
                                                  to the interests of the public and the                  review, this Notice publishes the                     standards through equitable, policy-
                                                  needs of the government. These span,                    entirety of Statistical Policy Directive              neutral, transparent, and timely release
                                                  for example, the measurement of                         No. 4; the proposed Addendum appears                  of information to the general public.
                                                  educational attainment to the                           here at the end of Statistical Policy                 Introduction
                                                  measurement of disability. Recognizing                  Directive No. 4 in bold font as Section
                                                  this need, OMB issued Statistical Policy                                                                        Statistics produced by the Federal
                                                                                                          10 Performance Review. This                           Government are used to shape policies,
                                                  Directive No. 4: Release and
                                                                                                          Addendum does not remove nor replace                  manage and monitor programs, identify
                                                  Dissemination of Statistical Products
                                                                                                          any of the standards and guidelines                   problems and opportunities for
                                                  Produced by Federal Statistical
                                                                                                          currently identified in Statistical Policy            improvement, track progress, and
                                                  Agencies (73 FR 12622, Mar. 7, 2008) to
                                                                                                          Directive No. 4. Instead, this Addendum               measure change. These statistics must
                                                  provide detailed guidance to Federal
                                                                                                          is intended to expand on the guidelines               meet high standards of reliability,
                                                  statistical agencies and recognized
                                                                                                          as part of the continuing efforts of the              accuracy, timeliness, and objectivity in
                                                  statistical units regarding the
                                                                                                          Federal statistical system to ensure the              order to provide a sound and efficient
                                                  production and dissemination of
                                                                                                          relevance, accuracy, and objectivity of               basis for decisions and actions by
                                                  statistical products other than PFEIs.
                                                    Development and Review: Statistical                   Federal statistics. The Addendum                      governments, businesses, households,
                                                  Policy Directive No. 4 remains a robust                 would apply to Federal statistical                    and other organizations. These data
                                                  and comprehensive source of guidance.                   agencies and recognized statistical units             must be objective and free of bias in
                                                  However, periodic updates and addenda                   as described in Section 3 Statistical                 their presentation and available to all in
                                                  ensure that this Directive remains most                 Agencies or Units of Statistical Policy               forms that are readily accessible and
                                                  useful to Federal agencies.                             Directive No. 4. Agencies would identify              understandable.
                                                    In November 2014, OMB requested                       specific, key statistical products to be                To be collected and used efficiently,
                                                  agency and department heads for                         reviewed, in consultation with OMB.                   statistical products must gain and
                                                  selected Executive Branch agencies and                     Issues for Comment: With this Notice,              preserve the trust of the respondent and
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                                                  departments to provide feedback on                      OMB seeks comments from all                           user communities; data must be
                                                  Statistical Policy Directive No. 1 through              interested parties on the purpose, scope,             collected and distributed free of any
                                                  M–15–03 Department Support for                          and periodicity of the proposed agency                perceived or actual partisan
                                                  Implementation of Statistical Policy                    reviews and reports on the production                 intervention. Widespread recognition of
                                                  Directive No. 1: Fundamental                            and dissemination procedures for key                  the Federal statistical system’s policy-
                                                  Responsibilities of Federal Statistical                 statistical products. In addition, OMB                neutral data collection and
                                                  Agencies and Recognized Statistical                     seeks comment from affected agencies                  dissemination fosters such trust. This


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                                                  71540                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Notices

                                                  trust, in turn, engenders greater                       statistical products. With the exception              revisions to the release schedule in a
                                                  cooperation from respondents and                        of compilations of statistical                        timely manner on their Web sites.
                                                  higher quality statistics for data users.               information collected and assembled                     6. Dissemination. Statistical agencies
                                                     1. Scope. This Statistical Policy                    from other statistical products, these                must ensure that all users have
                                                  Directive applies to the full range of                  products shall contain or reference                   equitable and timely access to data that
                                                  statistical products disseminated by                    appropriate information on the strengths              are disseminated to the public. If there
                                                  Federal statistical agencies or units.                  and limitations of the methodologies,                 are revisions to the data after an initial
                                                  However, the Directive excludes                         data sources, and data used to produce                release, notification must also be given
                                                  coverage of the Principal Federal                       them as well as other information such                to the public about these changes in an
                                                  Economic Indicators addressed in                        as explanations of other related                      equitable and timely manner. A
                                                  Statistical Policy Directive No. 3,                     measures to assist users in the                       statistical agency should strive for the
                                                  Compilation, Release, and Evaluation of                 appropriate treatment and interpretation              widest, most accessible, and appropriate
                                                  Principal Federal Economic Indicators,                  of the data.                                          dissemination of its statistical products
                                                  which have their own established                          3. Statistical Agencies or Units. As                and ensure transparency in its
                                                  release and evaluation procedures.                      identified under OMB’s implementation                 dissemination practices by providing
                                                  Unless otherwise specified in statute,                  guidance (72 FR 33362, 33368, June 15,                complete documentation of its
                                                  statistical agencies or units are directly              2007) for the Confidential Information                dissemination policies on its Web site.
                                                  and solely responsible for the content,                 Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act             The statistical agency is responsible for
                                                  quality, and dissemination of their                     of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–347, Title V; 116                ensuring that this documentation
                                                  products. When implementing this                        Stat. 2962; 44 U.S.C. Section 3501 note),             remains accurate by reviewing and
                                                  Directive, statistical agencies must                    a Federal statistical agency is an                    updating it regularly so that it reflects
                                                  follow all relevant Statistical Policy                  organizational unit of the executive                  the agency’s current dissemination
                                                  Directives and guidance including the                   branch whose activities are                           practices. In unusual circumstances, the
                                                  principles and practices presented in                   predominantly the collection,                         requirement that all users initially have
                                                  OMB’s Information Quality Guidelines                    compilation, processing, or analysis of               equitable and timely access to statistical
                                                  and Statistical Policy Directives                       information for statistical purposes.                 products may be waived by the
                                                  providing standards and guidelines for                  Statistical purpose means the                         releasing statistical agency if the head of
                                                  statistical surveys.                                    description, estimation, or analysis of               the agency determines that the value of
                                                     2. Statistical Products. Statistical                                                                       a particular type of statistical product,
                                                                                                          the characteristics of groups,
                                                  products are, generally, information                                                                          such as health or safety information, is
                                                                                                          customarily without identifying the
                                                  dissemination products that are                                                                               so time-sensitive to specific
                                                                                                          persons, organizations, or individual
                                                  published or otherwise made available                                                                         stakeholders that normal procedures to
                                                                                                          data observations that comprise such
                                                  for public use that describe, estimate,                                                                       ensure equitable and timely access to all
                                                                                                          groups, as well as researching,
                                                  forecast, or analyze the characteristics of                                                                   users would unduly delay the release of
                                                                                                          developing, implementing, maintaining,
                                                  groups, customarily without identifying                                                                       urgent findings to those to whom the
                                                  the persons, organizations, or individual               or evaluating methods, administrative or
                                                                                                                                                                information is critical. All such
                                                  data observations that comprise such                    technical procedures, or information
                                                                                                                                                                instances must be reported to OMB
                                                  groups. Statistical products include                    resources that support such purposes. A
                                                                                                                                                                within 30 calendar days of the agency’s
                                                  general-purpose tabulations, analyses,                  statistical agency or unit may be labeled
                                                                                                                                                                waiver determination.
                                                  projections, forecasts, or other statistical            an administration, bureau, center,                      Agencies should use a variety of
                                                  reports. For purposes of this Directive,                division, office, service, or similar title,          vehicles to attain a data dissemination
                                                  a ‘‘statistical press release’’ is an                   so long as it is recognized as a distinct             program designed to reach data users in
                                                  announcement to media of a statistical                  entity. When a statistical agency                     an equitable and timely manner. Federal
                                                  product release that contains the title,                provides services for a separate                      statistical agencies or units may issue
                                                  subject matter, release date, and Internet              sponsoring agency on a reimbursable                   their statistical products in printed and/
                                                  address of, and other available                         basis, the provisions of this Directive               or electronic form, but must provide
                                                  information about the statistical                       normally shall apply to the sponsoring                access to them on their Internet sites. In
                                                  product, as well as the name of the                     agency.                                               undertaking any dissemination of
                                                  statistical agency issuing the product,                   4. Timing of Release. The timing of                 statistical products, agencies must
                                                  and may include any executive                           the release of statistical products,                  continue to ensure that they have
                                                  summary information or key findings                     including statistical press releases,                 fulfilled their responsibilities to
                                                  section as shown in the statistical                     regardless of physical form or                        preserve the confidentiality and security
                                                  product. A statistical press release                    characteristic, shall be the sole                     of respondent data. When appropriate to
                                                  announcing or presenting statistical data               responsibility of the statistical agency or           facilitate in-depth research, and feasible
                                                  is defined as a statistical product and is              unit that is directly responsible for the             in the presence of resource constraints,
                                                  covered by the provisions of this                       content, quality, and dissemination of                statistical agencies should provide
                                                  Directive. Federal statistical agencies or              the data. Agencies should minimize the                public access to microdata files with
                                                  units may issue their statistical products              interval between the period to which                  secure safeguards to protect the
                                                  in printed and/or electronic form, but                  the data refer and the date when the                  confidentiality of individually-
                                                  must provide access to them on their                    product is released to the public.                    identifiable responses and with readily
                                                  Internet sites. Agencies should assess                    5. Notification of Release. Prior to the            accessible documentation, metadata, or
                                                  the needs of data users and provide a                   beginning of the calendar year, the
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                                                                                                                                                                other means to facilitate user access to
                                                  range of products to address those needs                releasing statistical agency shall                    and manipulation of the data.
                                                  by whatever means practicable.                          annually provide the public with a                      Statistical agencies are encouraged to
                                                  Information to help users interpret data                schedule of when each regular or                      use a variety of forums and strategies to
                                                  accurately, including transparent                       recurring statistical product is expected             release their statistical products. These
                                                  descriptions of the sources and                         to be released during the upcoming                    include conferences, exhibits,
                                                  methodologies used to produce the data,                 calendar year by publishing it on its                 presentations, workshops, list serves,
                                                  must be equitably available for Federal                 Web site. Agencies must issue any                     the Government Printing Office, public


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                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Notices                                           71541

                                                  libraries, and outreach to the media                    available under these pre-release                     release must indicate that an updated or
                                                  including news conferences and                          provisions and which method of pre-                   final revision is expected. In applicable
                                                  statistical press releases as well as                   release will be employed.                             cases, the expected date of such
                                                  media briefings to improve the media’s                                                                        revisions must be included. Reference to
                                                                                                          c. Embargo
                                                  understanding of the data and the                                                                             the preliminary release and appropriate
                                                  quality and extent of media coverage of                    Embargo means that pre-release                     explanations of the methodology and
                                                  the statistics.                                         access is provided with the explicit                  reasons for the revisions must be
                                                                                                          acknowledgement of the receiving party                provided or referenced in any updated
                                                  a. Outreach to the Media                                that the information cannot be further                or final releases.
                                                     To accelerate and/or expand the                      disseminated or used in any                              Consistent with each agency’s
                                                  dissemination of data to the public,                    unauthorized manner before a specific                 information quality guidelines,
                                                  statistical agencies are encouraged to                  date and time.                                        statistical agencies must also establish
                                                  issue a statistical press release when                     The statistical agency may grant pre-              and implement policies for handling
                                                  releasing their products. To maintain a                 release access via an embargo under the               unscheduled corrections due to
                                                  clear distinction between statistical data              following conditions:                                 previously unrecognized errors.
                                                  and policy interpretations of such data,                   1. The agency shall establish                      Agencies have an obligation to alert
                                                  the statistical press release must be                   arrangements and impose conditions on                 users as quickly as possible to any such
                                                  produced and issued by the statistical                  the granting of an embargo that are                   changes, to explain corrections or
                                                  agency and must provide a policy-                       necessary to ensure that there is no                  revisions that result from any
                                                  neutral description of the data; it must                unauthorized dissemination or use.                    unscheduled corrections, and to make
                                                  not include policy pronouncements. To                      2. The agency shall ensure that any                appropriate changes in all product
                                                  the extent that any policy                              person or organization granted access                 formats—including statistical press
                                                  pronouncements are to be made                           under an embargo has been fully                       releases.
                                                  regarding the data, those                               informed of, and has acknowledged
                                                                                                                                                                   9. Granting of Exceptions. Prior to any
                                                  pronouncements are to be made by                        acceptance of, these conditions.
                                                                                                                                                                action being taken that may be
                                                  Federal executive policy officials, not by                 3. In all cases, pre-release access via
                                                                                                                                                                inconsistent with the provisions of this
                                                  the statistical agency. Accordingly,                    an embargo shall precede the official
                                                                                                                                                                Directive, the head of a releasing
                                                  these policy officials may issue separate               release time only to the extent necessary
                                                                                                                                                                statistical agency shall consult with
                                                  independent statements on the data                      for an orderly release of the data.
                                                                                                             4. If an embargo is broken, the agency             OMB’s Administrator for Information
                                                  being released by the statistical agency,
                                                  and policy officials of the issuing                     must release the data to the public                   and Regulatory Affairs. If the
                                                  department may review the draft                         immediately.                                          Administrator determines that the
                                                  statistical press release to ensure that it                                                                   action is inconsistent with the
                                                                                                          d. Secure Pre-Release Access                          provisions of this Directive, the head of
                                                  does not include policy
                                                  pronouncements.                                            For some data that are particularly                the releasing statistical agency may
                                                     In cases in which the statistical unit               sensitive or move markets, statistical                apply for an exception. The
                                                  currently relies on its parent agency for               agency heads may choose to provide                    Administrator may authorize exceptions
                                                  the public affairs function, the statistical            secure pre-release access. Secure pre-                to the provisions in sections 4, 5, 6, 7,
                                                  agency should coordinate with public                    release access means that pre-release                 and 8 of this Directive. Any agency
                                                  affairs officials from the parent                       access is provided only within the                    requesting an exception must
                                                  organization on the dissemination                       confines of secure physical facilities                demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
                                                  aspects of the statistical press release                with no external communications                       Administrator that the proposed
                                                  process, including planning and                         capability. When the head of a releasing              exception is necessary and is consistent
                                                  scheduling of annual release dates.                     statistical agency determines that secure             with the purposes of this Directive.
                                                                                                          pre-release access is required, the                   Proposed Addendum
                                                  b. Pre-Release Access to Final Statistical              agency shall provide pre-release access
                                                  Products                                                to final statistical products only when it              10. Performance Review. Each Federal
                                                     The purpose of pre-release access is to              uses secure pre-release procedures.                   statistical agency shall submit an annual
                                                  foster improved public understanding of                    7. Announcement of Changes in Data                 performance review of the production
                                                  the data when they are first released and               Series. Statistical agencies shall                    and dissemination of its key statistical
                                                  the accuracy of any initial commentary                  announce, in an appropriate and                       products to the Office of Information
                                                  about the information contained in the                  accessible manner as far in advance of                and Regulatory Affairs. Each agency will
                                                  product. To support the goal of                         the change as possible, significant                   identify its key statistical products for
                                                  maximizing the public’s access to                       planned changes in data collection,                   review purposes, in consultation with
                                                  informed discussions of the data when                   analysis, or estimation methods that                  OMB.
                                                  they are first released, statistical                    may affect the interpretation of their                  The review shall address the
                                                  agencies may provide pre-release access                 data series. In the first report affected by          following issues:
                                                  to their final statistical products. A                  the change, the agency must include a                   (a) The accuracy and reliability of the
                                                  statistical product is final when the                   complete description of the change and                series, e.g., the magnitude and direction
                                                  releasing statistical agency determines                 its effects and place the description on              of all revisions, the performance of the
                                                  that the product fully meets the agency’s               its Internet site, if the report is not               series relative to established
                                                  data quality standards based on all                     otherwise available there.                            benchmarks, and the proportion and
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                                                  presently available information and                        8. Revisions and Corrections of Data.              effect of nonresponses or responses
                                                  requires no further changes. Pre-release                For some statistical products, statistical            received after the publication of
                                                  access to final statistical products may                agencies produce preliminary estimates                preliminary estimates;
                                                  be provided under embargo or through                    or initial releases that will subsequently               (b) the accuracy, completeness, and
                                                  secure pre-release access. The releasing                be updated and finalized. Whenever                    accessibility of documentation
                                                  statistical agency determines which                     preliminary data are released, they must              describing the methods used in
                                                  final statistical products will be made                 be identified as preliminary and the                  compiling and revising the product;


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                                                  71542                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Notices

                                                    (c) the agency’s performance in                       which Federal credit union (FCU)                      collection techniques or other forms of
                                                  meeting its established release schedule                members may inspect and copy the                      information technology.
                                                  and the prompt release objective of this                FCU’s books, records, and minutes of                    Authority: Public Law 104–13, 44 U.S.C.
                                                  Directive;                                              meetings. The collection of information               Chapter 35
                                                    (d) the agency’s ability to avoid                     requirements apply to FCU members
                                                  disclosure prior to the scheduled release                                                                       By Gerard Poliquin, Secretary of the Board,
                                                                                                          seeking inspection and copying of the
                                                                                                                                                                the National Credit Union Administration, on
                                                  time;                                                   FCU’s records and FCUs that receive                   October 12, 2016.
                                                    (e) any additional issues (such as                    such member requests. To obtain access                  Dated: October 12, 2016.
                                                  periodicity, electronic access, etc.) that              to records, members are required to                   Troy S. Hillier,
                                                  the Administrator for Information and                   submit a petition to the FCU, stating a
                                                  Regulatory Affairs specifies in writing to                                                                    NCUA PRA Clearance Officer.
                                                                                                          proper purpose for inspection and
                                                  the agency at least 6 months in advance                                                                       [FR Doc. 2016–25035 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                          signed by at least one percent of the
                                                  of the scheduled submission date.                       members, with a minimum of 20 and a                   BILLING CODE 7535–01–P
                                                    The evaluation will be reviewed by                    maximum of 500 members. The FCU
                                                  the Administrator to determine whether                  must permit inspection of relevant
                                                  the statistical products are prepared and                                                                     NATIONAL CREDIT UNION
                                                                                                          records if it receives such a petition.
                                                  published in conformity with OMB                           Because most of the information                    ADMINISTRATION
                                                  statistical policies, standards, and                    exchanged under this regulation is
                                                  guidelines. A summary of the year’s                                                                           Submission for OMB Review;
                                                                                                          between credit unions and their                       Comment Request
                                                  evaluations and their reviews will be                   members, NCUA is not made aware of
                                                  included in the annual report to                        the requests covered under this                       AGENCY: National Credit Union
                                                  Congress required by the Paperwork                      regulation unless there is a dispute. We              Administration (NCUA).
                                                  Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.                  assume that instances of formal                       ACTION: Notice.
                                                  3504(e)).                                               petitions being filed to request
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–25049 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]            inspection of records is a fairly rare                SUMMARY:   The National Credit Union
                                                  BILLING CODE P                                          event. For purposes of estimating                     Administration (NCUA) will be
                                                                                                          burden, we assume no more than five                   submitting the following information
                                                                                                          such petitions are filed each year.                   collection requests to the Office of
                                                  NATIONAL CREDIT UNION                                      Type of Review: Extension of a                     Management and Budget (OMB) for
                                                  ADMINISTRATION                                          previously approved collection.                       review and clearance in accordance
                                                                                                             Affected Public: Individuals and                   with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
                                                  Agency Information Collection                           Households and Private Sector: Not-for-               1995, Public Law 104–13, on or after the
                                                  Activities: Proposed Collection;                        profit institutions.                                  date of publication of this notice.
                                                  Comment Request; Member Inspection                         Estimated Number of Respondents/                   DATES: Comments should be received on
                                                  of Credit Union Books, Records, and                     Recordkeepers: 10.                                    or before November 16, 2016 to be
                                                  Minutes                                                    Estimated Annual Frequency: 5.                     assured of consideration.
                                                                                                             Estimated Annual Number of
                                                  AGENCY: National Credit Union                                                                                 ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding
                                                                                                          Responses: 12.
                                                  Administration (NCUA).                                                                                        the burden estimate, or any other aspect
                                                                                                             Estimated Total Annual Burden
                                                  ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
                                                                                                                                                                of the information collection, including
                                                                                                          Hours: 380.
                                                                                                             This is an extension without changes               suggestions for reducing the burden, to
                                                  SUMMARY:   NCUA, as part of its                         of a previously approved collection. The              (1) Office of Information and Regulatory
                                                  continuing effort to reduce paperwork                   adjustments in burden estimates are                   Affairs, Office of Management and
                                                  and respondent burden, invites the                      attributable to the inclusion of FCU                  Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for
                                                  general public and other Federal                        members as respondents and the                        NCUA, New Executive Office Building,
                                                  agencies to comment on an extension of                  inclusion of costs associated with                    Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, or
                                                  a previously approved collection, as                    potential dispute resolution.                         email at OIRA_Submission@
                                                  required by the Paperwork Reduction                        Request for Comments: Comments                     OMB.EOP.gov and (2) NCUA PRA
                                                  Act of 1995.                                            submitted in response to this notice will             Clearance Officer, 1775 Duke Street,
                                                  DATES: Written comments should be                       be summarized and included in the                     Alexandria, VA 22314, Suite 5067, or
                                                  received on or before December 16, 2016                 request for Office of Management and                  email at PRAComments@ncua.gov.
                                                  to be assured consideration.                            Budget approval. All comments will                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  ADDRESSES: Interested persons are                       become a matter of public record. The                 Copies of the submission may be
                                                  invited to submit written comments on                   public is invited to submit comments                  obtained by emailing PRAComments@
                                                  the information collection to Troy                      concerning: (a) Whether the collection                ncua.gov or viewing the entire
                                                  Hillier, National Credit Union                          of information is necessary for the                   information collection request at
                                                  Administration, 1775 Duke Street,                       proper performance of the function of                 www.reginfo.gov.
                                                  Alexandria, Virginia 22314; Fax No.                     the agency, including whether the                     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                  703–519–8579; or Email at                               information will have practical utility;                OMB Number: 3133–0098.
                                                  PRAComments@NCUA.gov                                    (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate               Type of Review: Reinstatement of a
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        of the burden of the collection of                    previously approved collection.
                                                                                                          information, including the validity of                  Title: Advertising of Excess Insurance,
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  Requests for additional information
                                                  should be directed to the address above.                the methodology and assumptions used;                 12 CFR 740.3.
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,               Abstract: Requirements of 12 CFR
                                                    OMB Number: 3133–0176.                                and clarity of the information to be                  740.3, Advertising of excess insurance,
                                                    Title: Member Inspection of Credit                    collected; and (d) ways to minimize the               prescribes that federally insured credit
                                                  Union Books, Records, and Minutes.                      burden of the collection of the                       unions must disclose in advertising the
                                                    Abstract 12 CFR 701.3 establishes the                 information on the respondents,                       share or savings account insurance
                                                  circumstances and conditions under                      including the use of automated                        provided by a party other than NCUA.


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Document Created: 2016-10-15 01:52:11
Document Modified: 2016-10-15 01:52:11
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of Solicitation of Comments.
DatesComments and recommendations on the proposed Addendum detailed in this notice must be in writing. To ensure consideration of comments, they must be received no later than 45 days from the publication date of this notice. Because of delays in the receipt of regular mail related to security screening, respondents are encouraged to send comments electronically via email, or www.regulations.gov (discussed in
ContactJennifer Park, 1800 G St., 9th Floor,
FR Citation81 FR 71538 

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