Search Results: census
COSSA Urges Census to Maintain Field of Degree, Marriage Questions in ACS
On December 9, COSSA submitted public comment to the U.S. Department of Commerce urging the decision to remove several questions from the 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) be reversed. As previously reported, the ACS recently underwent a comprehensive review of its current 72 questions, which resulted in a proposal to remove questions deemed of “low benefit.” COSSA’s comments outline the importance of Person Question No. 12—Undergraduate Field of Degree—and Person Questions No. 21-23, relating to marital history, to the social science research community. The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), a COSSA sister organization, also submitted public comment. More information on the…
Census Releases New ACS Data, Special Feature on Young Adults
On November 4, the Census Bureau released 2009-2013 five-year estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS). The release includes new tables on field of bachelor’s degree, health insurance status, poverty status, and year of naturalization. In addition, a new Census Explorer feature, Young Adults: Then and Now, allows users to compare young adults (18-34) across the 1980, 1990, and 2000 decennial censuses and the 2009-2013 ACS five-year estimates and track changes in demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Census Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Elimination of ACS Questions
On October 31, the U.S. Census Bureau within the Department of Commerce issued a request for public comment related to the 2014 Content Review of the American Community Survey (ACS). According to the Federal Register Notice, the 2014 review “is the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken by the Census Bureau to review content on the survey, seeking to understand which federal programs use the information collected by each question, the justification for each question, and assess how the Census Bureau might reduce respondent burden.” The review looked at the ACS’s 72 questions and proposed removal of seven from the annual…
Agriculture Census Highlights Organic Farms
The National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) released findings from the 2012 Census of Agriculture’s Special Organics Tabulation illustrating some key differences between organic and conventional farms. Forty-two percent of organic farms sell directly to consumers, compared with only 7 percent of all U.S. farms. Organic farms are also more likely to participate in non-traditional markets, such as marketing directly to retail outlets, producing value-added products, or distributing products through farm-shares or CSAs (community-supported agriculture). Organic farms also invest more in renewable energy production. More on the Census is available on the NASS website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NCHS and Census Release Data on Health Insurance Coverage
New statistics released by the federal government last week provide insight into the number of Americans without insurance in 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 (after the insurance coverage expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) had gone into effect). The Census Bureau published Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, based on data from the 2014 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which found that 42 million people, 13.4 percent of Americans, had no health insurance for the entirety of 2013.
Census, NCHS Hold Joint Technical Meeting Ahead of Release of Insurance Coverage Data
On September 16, the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) will release the first federal statistics on health insurance coverage during the period after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agencies held a technical meeting on August 18 to go over what will be released later this month and provide background on the methods used in the respective household surveys. Census Bureau Director John Thompson and NCHS Director Charles Rothwell introduced the meeting. A webcast is available here. Two sources of data will be used together to assess the impact of the ACA…
NASS Invites Suggestions for Next Census of Agriculture
The National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) is seeking comments from the public on changes for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years, the Census provides detailed information on nearly every facet of U.S. agriculture down to the county level. In a press release, NASS Associate Administrator Renee Picanso said, “Many industries want data that we currently don’t collect…There are also some data that people think are no longer relevant with changing trends in agriculture. This is the time to express those ideas and concerns.” Comments may be submitted via an online form. NASS will notify the public before…
FY 2015 Appropriations Bills Begin Moving in the House [NSF, BJS, NIJ, Census]
Read the policy analysis.
Remembering Ken Prewitt
Earlier this month the COSSA community lost one of its most stalwart champions and dedicated public servants, Dr. Kennith Prewitt. Ken’s connections with COSSA run deep, having served numerous positions at COSSA member universities, as director of NORC at the University of Chicago, president of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), and president of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS). He was nominated by President Bill Clinton to serve as Director of the Census Bureau (1998-2001). During his time at SSRC in the early 1980s, Ken was responsible for assisting with the launch of COSSA. He later…
COSSA’s Analysis of the FY 2027 House CJS Appropriations Bill for Federal Science Agencies
The House Appropriations Committee has begun consideration of its fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The Committee is working to approve all 12 funding bills by the end of June. On May 13, the Appropriations Committee reported out the FY 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Bill, which includes funding proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), Census Bureau, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and other agencies. As we saw last year, the FY 2027 House CJS bill includes cuts to federal science agencies but does not go as far as the President’s budget request,…
Congress Turns to Appropriations After Returning from May Recess
Following a week-long May recess, Congress has turned their attention toward the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations process. As previously reported, the House has set their schedule for advancing their appropriations bills through May and June. On May 13, the House Appropriations Committee reported out the Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) budget bill—which includes funding proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Census Bureau, and more (see related article). The Committee is also scheduled to review the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) budget bill—which includes funding proposals for the National Institutes of…
House Releases Science Funding Bill that would Slash NSF Budget
On April 30, the House Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee advanced their fiscal year (FY) 2027 CJS bill along party lines. The CJS bill includes funding proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Notably, the House has once again rejected the 55 percent funding cut to NSF included in the President’s budget request; however, NSF would still see a 20 percent reduction under this bill. Included in the bill are the following amounts: More details are expected to be released in the coming weeks when…
House Releases Markup Schedule for Science Funding Bills
On April 13, the House Appropriations Committee released the markup schedule for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies Bill (CJS), which provides annual appropriations for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and the U.S. Census Bureau, is scheduled to be reviewed by the CJS Subcommittee on April 30 with the full Appropriations Committee markup scheduled for May 13. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Bill (LHHS), which funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and…
Urge Congress to Prioritize Robust Science Funding in the FY 2027 Appropriations Bills
Congressional appropriators are preparing legislation that will determine funding for federal science and statistical agencies for the next year (FY 2027). With recent attacks on the scientific research enterprise—including funding cuts, grant delays/cancellations, reorganization proposals, abrupt terminations, and mass layoffs— it is essential that our community fights for federal science funding and the scientific workforce. The stakes have never been higher. Send a message to your Senators and Representative TODAY and tell them why it is critical that they prioritize funding in FY 2027 for the the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Education Sciences, National Institute of Justice, Bureau…
Analysis of the Final FY 2026 LHHS Appropriations Bills for Federal Science Agencies
Following a brief partial government shutdown, the House of Representatives passed the latest fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding package containing the final budgets for dozens of federal agencies and departments. The package, which comes on the heels of enactment of an earlier omnibus in January (see COSSA’s coverage), includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) appropriations bill, funding the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and other agencies, and four other appropriations bills: the Department of Defense appropriations bill, Financial Services appropriations bill, National Security and Department of State appropriations bill, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development…