APDU Data Update

APDU Data Update

News

New Bill Seeks to End Surveys

Ten Congressional representatives sponsor legislation to eliminate Department of Commerce-sponsored surveys. The bill would eliminate the Census of Agriculture, the Economic Census, Census of Government, any mid-decade Census surveys, and any survey (including the American Community Survey) using survey sampling that does not tie directly to the decennial census of population.  View the actual bill here.

The Bill was introduced in the House by Jeff Duncan of South Carolina. Find his views on the bill on his website here.

Here are a few news stories and blogs who have reported on the bill:

• A New GOP Bill Would Prevent the Government from Collecting Economic Data
• Hero: Rep. Jeff Duncan (R:SC)
• GOP Census Bill Would Eliminate America’s Economic Indicators
• 11 Republican Congressmen Are Sponsoring a Bill That Would End The Jobs Report and The GDP Report
• GOP Proposal Would Eliminate Unemployment Numbers
• The Insane War on the American Community Survey Isn’t Over
• Benefits of Census Surveys Outweigh Costs
• BRILLIANT!! GOP Reveals Unique Solution to Unemployment!
• Duncan, Other GOP Congressmen, Don’t Like Census Questionnaire
• Where Have I Heard This Before? (or, History Repeats Itself)

We would greatly appreciate your feedback on how this bill might affect economic and workforce development efforts.  Send feedback here.
 

Census Bureau Provides Developing Countries Online Courses on How to Conduct a Census

The U.S. Census Bureau has produced four online courses that guide developing countries on how to plan and conduct a national census.  These courses were developed by the Census Bureau’s International Programs Center for Technical Assistance and sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, with the goal of supporting democracy and development. 

The four new courses — “Planning and Managing a Census,” “Introduction to Census Cartography,” “Census Questionnaire Content and Design” and “Census Field Operations” — are the first part of a larger series titled “Steps of a Census.”  In the coming months, the Census Bureau plans to release courses covering the topics of data processing, dissemination, and analysis and evaluation.  The courses contribute to the Census Bureau’s mission of sharing its expertise globally and toward the goal of building statistical capacity in developing countries.  Read more here.

Full Speed Ahead for Open Ag Data

Last week, hundreds of innovators gathered at the World Bank IFC Center to brainstorm about how Open Data can be harnessed to help meet the challenge of sustainably feeding nine billion people by 2050.  The group included delegates from the G-8 group of nations, US Government officials, private sector partners, Open Data advocates, technology experts, and nonprofit leaders – all participants in the first-of-its-kind G-8 International Conference on Open Data for Agriculture.  The foundation for such collaboration was set by President Obama’s first ever global development policy which emphasizes broad-based economic growth, innovation, and partnership; and the President’s leadership on food security through the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative and Feed the Future.  Read more here.
 

AHS Microdata Resource Updates

There have been two updates to the resources to help you use the American Housing Survey microdata:

1. Value Labels Package for the 2011 AHS. Users can download this package from the AHS 2011 page here.
    
2. Variable Name Index: Users can download the variable name index here, in the “technical supplements” section.

Users may be interested to know that the 2013 AHS data collection has begun.  As of May 1, 200 interviews had been completed.
 

Most Recent QWIPU Data for All Participating LED States Available for Download

The most recent QWIPU data for all participating LED states are available for download from VirtualRDC’s download server.  The release R2013Q1 covers data through 2012:2, for 47 states and the District of Columbia.  Each data file contains the complete historical time series for each state, up through the latest quarter.  Data can be downloaded (without registration) immediately here.  Read more here.
 

Notable Data Publications

Each week, the APDU Data Update identifies recent statistical data releases of interest to APDU members.

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – Access and Experiences Regarding Health Care: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population Age 18 and Older, 2010
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2013
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – National Healthcare Quality Report, 2012
• Bureau of Justice Statistics – Firearm Violence, 1993-2011
• Census Bureau – The Diversifying Electorate — Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections)
• Census Bureau – 2011 ZIP Code Business Patterns Statistics
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – Medicare Provider Charge Data
• Government Accountability Office – GAO’s State and Local Fiscal Simulations
• Pew Hispanic Center – A Demographic Portrait of Mexican-Origin Hispanics in the United States
• Pew State and Consumer Initiatives – The Geographic Distribution of the Mortgage Interest Deduction
• Save the Children – Surviving the First Day: State of the World’s Mothers, 2013
• United Nations – Demographic Yearbook 2011

Did you work on a great report that you want your colleagues to know about?  Just email us and we’ll include it here.

Calls for Comment

APDU maintains a list of open calls for comment on proposed federal data collections.  We periodically alert APDU members to newly added calls for comment.  Over the last several weeks, calls for comment on the following proposed data collections were published in the Federal Register (with due date):

Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Well-being Supplement to American Time Use Survey (June 7, 2013)

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

• National Census of Ferry Operators (July 1, 2013)

Census Bureau

• National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (June 3, 2013)
• U.S. Census–Age Search (June 6, 2013)

National Center for Education Statistics

• Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies National Supplement Data Collection 2013–2014 (June 5, 2013)

Like the APDU Data Update? Share it with your social network!

[facebooklike]  [twittertweet]  [lnkdinshare]  [googleplusone]

May 9, 2013

The APDU Data Update is brought to you as a service from the Association of Public Data Users. 

If you find the Data Update beneficial please help support APDU by becoming a member today.

Discover the benefits of becoming an APDU Member!

Join Today!