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Features
Appropriations Bills Stalled Indefinitely The Senate was preparing to debate the fiscal year (FY) 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill (the bill that funds the National Science Foundation, Census Bureau, National Institute of Justice, and other agencies) during the last two weeks of June. However, the debate came to an abrupt halt on June 19 when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pulled the bill from the floor, citing an inability to come to agreement with Republican leadership on a process for considering amendments.
News
Evaluating the American Community Survey The Census Bureau is asking federal agencies and state, local and tribal governments, along with the business community, to detail their specific data needs, especially as those needs relate to four particular questions on the survey: respondents? income, disability status, journey to work and household plumbing facilities.
D.C.-Area Residents Participate in 2014 Census Test The test, during which participants are encouraged to fill out a census survey on the Internet and mobile devices, is part of efforts to explore innovative and cost-saving survey methods for the 2020 Census.
Track a Century of U.S. Development with New USGS Tool The United States Geological Survey (USGS) launched a Historical Topographic Map Explorer, allowing cartography lovers to easily pore through the agency’s extensive collection.
New Online Data Tool Provides State & Local Energy Data The U.S. Department of Energy?s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has launched a new website providing a wide range of energy data specific to their location.
Modernizing BEA?s International Economic Accounts BEA introduced a comprehensive restructuring of the international accounts that enhances the quality and usefulness of the accounts for customers and bring the accounts into closer alignment with international guidelines.
Maps Illustrate Metro Area & County Population Change The Census Bureau released two interactive thematic maps on population change. These ?Story Maps? provide insight on emerging trends in population change across the country.
QWI Online & Industry Focus Will Be Retired With the release of the new QWI Explorer application, quarterly data updates to the QWI Online and Industry Focus applications will cease following the 2014 Q2 release of the QWI.
Visualization of the Week
Visualizing Algorithms Data cannot be merely fitted to a chart with algorithm visualizations because there is no primary dataset. Mike Bostock discusses some unique ways that designers are experimenting with novel forms to better communicate algorithms.
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):
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Youth Tobacco Survey (August 25, 2014)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Improving Quality of Care in Medicaid and CHIP through Increased Access to Preventive Services State Survey (July 21, 2014)
Department of Agriculture
USDA Race, Ethnicity and Gender Data Collection (August 2, 2014)
Department of Education
National Assessment of Education Progress Main 2015 Wave 2 (July 30, 2014)
Progress in International Reading Literacy Study Field Test and Recruitment for Main Study (September, 2, 2014)
National Institutes of Health
Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (August 2, 2014)
National Science Foundation
Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities (August 15, 2014)
