[Federal Register: February 23, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 37)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11231-11233]
[DOCID:fr23fe01-3]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

15 CFR Part 101

[Docket No.: 000609172-1040-03]
RIN 0607-AA33

Report of Tabulations of Population to States and Localities
Pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c) and Availability of Other Population
Information; Revocation of Delegation of Authority

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce is issuing a final rule to revoke a
delegation of authority to the Director of the Census. By that
delegation the Secretary authorized the Director of the Census to make
a determination regarding the methodology to be used in calculating the
tabulations of population to be reported to States and localities
pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c). This final rule will require that this
determination be made by the Secretary, and establishes an open and
fair decision-making process.

DATES: This rule is effective February 23, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alden F. Abbott, Acting General
Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-1328.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through the Census Act, which is codified in
title 13 of the United States Code, Congress has delegated to the
Secretary of Commerce its broad constitutional authority over the
decennial census (see U.S. Constitution Art. I, Sec. 2, Cl.3). On
October 6, 2000, the Commerce Department issued a final rule that set
forth how the Bureau of the Census will carry out its responsibilities
to report tabulations of population to States and localities pursuant
to the Census Act. See 65 FR 59712 (October 6, 2000). That rule
established a process for the release of data to the States and
codified the process by which a committee of senior career officials of
the Census Bureau would advise the Director of the Census. In addition,
that rule contained a delegation of authority from the Secretary to the
Director of the Census to make a determination regarding the
methodology to be used in calculating the tabulations of population to
be reported to States and localities pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c).
The October 6, 2000, final rule delegated the methodological
determination to the Census Director. Reflecting the character of its

[[Page 11232]]

responsibilities, the position of Census Director is held by a person
who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. At the
present time, the Deputy Director, a career civil servant, is serving
as Acting Director. It is unlikely that a new Director will be
nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate prior to the
time that this decision must be made. Consistent with Congress'
delegation of authority specifically to the Secretary to make the
decision regarding the tabulations contemplated by 13 U.S.C. 141(c),
and in recognition of the accountability properly expected of the
person making the methodological decisions underlying those
tabulations, the Secretary has determined that, in the current
circumstances, he is the appropriate official to make the final
determinations concerning the tabulations of populations to be reported
pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c). The Secretary will continue to seek the
advice of the statistical experts at the Census Bureau to inform his
decision. The Secretary, in his discretion, might also seek the advice
of other individuals with knowledge of this issue.
The October 6, 2000, rule further established a process for the
release of data to the States to meet the requirements of 13 U.S.C.
141(c). The process in the regulation envisioned two scenarios. First,
where the decision was made to use sampling to produce the tabulations
of population to report to States and localities after a recommendation
by the Census Bureau committee to do so, the October 6, 2000, rule
incorporated the requirement of section 209(j) of Public Law 105-119 to
also release simultaneously data prepared without the use of such
statistical method. Second, the October 6, 2000, rule adopted a new
requirement (not mandated by section 209(j)) that, if the decision was
made to produce tabulations of population without the use of
statistical adjustment notwithstanding a recommendation by the Census
Bureau committee to do so, data prepared with the use of such method
would be made available to the public simultaneously with the release
of data prepared without the use of statistical adjustment. Not
discussed in the October 6, 2000, rule was the release of data when the
Census Bureau committee recommended statistical adjustment not be used
and that recommendation was adopted. Because the Department can not
rule out situations in which the release of data produced by
statistical adjustment might be inappropriate (for instance the release
of statistics with material error), the Secretary has decided to remove
this section of the regulation for further study.

Administrative Law Requirements

Executive Order 12866

This final rule has been determined to be not significant under
section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866.

Administrative Procedure Act

Pursuant to authority at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), this rule of agency
organization, procedure and practice is not subject to the requirement
to provide prior notice and an opportunity for public comment. This
rule of agency organization, procedure and practice is not a
substantive rule subject to the requirement, in 5 U.S.C. 553(d), for a
30-day delay in effective date.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This final rule contains no new information collection requests
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Because this rule is not subject to the requirement to provide
prior notice and an opportunity for public comment under 5 U.S.C. 553,
or any other law, it is not subject to the analytical requirements of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.

Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995

This rule contains no Federal mandates, as that term is defined in
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, on State, local and tribal
governments or the private sector.

Executive Order 12630

This rule does not contain policies that have takings implications.

List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 101

Administrative practice and procedure, Census data.

Donald L. Evans,
Secretary of Commerce.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, 15 CFR part 101 is amended
as follows:

PART 101--RELEASE OF DECENNIAL CENSUS POPULATION INFORMATION

1. The authority citation for part 101 continues to read as
follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 13 U.S.C. 4, 141, 195; 15 U.S.C. 1512.

2. Section 101.1 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 101.1 Report of tabulations of population to States and
localities pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c).

(a)(1) The Secretary of Commerce shall make the final determination
regarding the methodology to be used in calculating the tabulations of
population reported to States and localities pursuant to 13 U.S.C.
141(c). The determination of the Secretary will be published in the
Federal Register.
(2) The Secretary shall not make the determination specified in
paragraph (a)(1) of this section until after he or she receives the
recommendation of the Director of the Census, together with the report
of the Executive Steering Committee for A.C.E. Policy, in accordance
with paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(b)(1) The Executive Steering Committee for A.C.E. Policy shall
prepare a written report to the Director of the Census analyzing the
methodologies that may be used in making the tabulations of population
reported to States and localities pursuant to 13 U.S.C. 141(c), and the
factors relevant to the possible choices of methodology. The Director
of the Census will forward the Executive Steering Committee for A.C.E.
Policy report and his or her recommendation on methodology, if any, to
the Secretary of Commerce.
(2) The recommendation of the Director of the Census, together with
report of the Executive Steering Committee for A.C.E. Policy described
in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall be released to the public at
the same time it is delivered to the Secretary. This release to the
public shall include, but is not limited to, posting of the report on
the Bureau of the Census website and publication of the report in the
Federal Register.
(3) The Executive Steering Committee for A.C.E. Policy is composed
of the following employees of the Bureau of the Census:
(i) Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer;
(ii) Principal Associate Director and Chief Financial Officer;
(iii) Principal Associate Director for Programs;
(iv) Associate Director for Decennial Census (Chair);
(v) Assistant Director for Decennial Census;
(vi) Associate Director for Demographic Programs;
(vii) Associate Director for Methodology and Standards;
(viii) Chief; Planning, Research, and Evaluation Division;
(ix) Chief; Decennial Management Division;

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(x) Chief; Decennial Statistical Studies Division;
(xi) Chief; Population Division; and
(xii) Senior Mathematical Statistician.


Sec. 101.2 [Removed]

3. Section 101.2 is removed.

[FR Doc. 01-4438 Filed 2-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-U