by Meghan Maury

Every time the government makes a change to a survey or a form — or introduces a new survey or form — you have the right to weigh in on that decision. The Take Action! newsletter highlights surveys or forms the government is changing, renewing, or introducing. Click the links to tell the government what you think about the changes they are making.

Note: The Take Action tab of DataIndex.us provides information about even more surveys, forms, evaluations, and records notices than are listed in your weekly newsletter.

Surveys

  • U.S. Elections Survey - Election Office Staffing: This survey collects information on election office staff composition, hiring capabilities, and perceived staffing needs.  The EAC is fielding this survey to meet its obligations under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to serve as a national clearinghouse and resource for the compilation of information with respect to the administration of Federal elections. Comments due August 19.

  • Internet Use Survey: The Internet Use Survey, a supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), asks roughly 60 questions about whether and how Americans use the Internet. The listing indicates that the survey is being revised, but it's unclear from the listing what changes are being made.  Comments due August 18.

  • Annual Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad: This survey collects data on the financial structure and operations of U.S. parents and their foreign affiliates. This notice announces BEA's intention to discontinue collection of minority-owned foreign affiliates.  Comments due August 15.

Program Collections + Forms

  • Standard Application Process Common Form: This form is used by researchers and other data users to apply to access confidential data assets held by 15 federal statistical agencies or units for the purposes of developing evidence.  Comments due August 15.

  • National Vital Statistics Report Form: This form collects data on births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and divorces reported in the National Vital Statistics System.  It's unclear from the listing whether any changes are being made to the collection.  Comments due August 15.

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Work Requirements and Screening: This form incorporates changes to screening protocols to determine whether applicants are eligible for exemptions from the general work requirements and exceptions from the able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) time limit.  All changes are being made pursuant to the December 2024 Final Rule on SNAP work requirements.  Comments due July 17.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Removals

  • Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program Performance Analysis Study: The SRAE PAS collects information on program structure, cost, and support for implementation; program attendance, reach, and dosage; the characteristics of youth involved in programming; youth sexual and other risky behavior prior to program participation; and youth sexual and other risky behavior intentions at program exit.  In addition to removing questions about gender identity from these studies, ACS is proposing revisions to the current performance measures to address feedback from grant recipients to simplify and clarify participant surveys. Comments due August 15.

Federal Records Sharing

  • ACF Matching Program; Privacy Act of 1974: ACF is re-establishing a matching program between HHS/ACF/OCSS and state agencies administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The matching program compares state TANF agency records with new hire, quarterly wage, and unemployment insurance information maintained in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH). The outcomes of the comparisons help state agencies to establish and verify eligibility for applicants and recipients of TANF benefits, reduce TANF benefit errors, and maintain program integrity.  Comments due July 18.

  • ACF Matching Program; Privacy Act of 1974: This notice announces a new data matching program under which ACF will compare name and Social Security number (SSN) combinations of unemployment compensation (UC) applicant and recipient records from each state workforce agency (SWA) to new hire and quarterly wage information maintained in the OCSS National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) system of records. Any match results from the comparison are returned to help the SWAs with establishing or verifying UC applicants' and recipients' eligibility for assistance, reducing payment errors, and maintaining program integrity, including determining whether duplicate participation exists or if an applicant or recipient resides in another state. The SWAs may also use the NDNH match information for secondary purposes, such as updating UC recipients' reported participation in work activities, updating recipients' and their employers' contact information, administering the SWAs' tax compliance function, and complying with DOL reporting requirements. Comments due July 17.

  • Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership (HFPP): Data Sharing and Information Exchange: The Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership (HFPP) is a voluntary, public-private partnership between the federal government, state and local Medicaid agencies, law enforcement, private health insurance plans, and healthcare anti-fraud associations to identify and reduce fraud, waste, and abuse across the healthcare sector.  Although the listing indicates that changes are being made to the HFPP forms, it's unclear from the listing what changes are being made. Comments due August 19.

This newsletter is supported by a generous contribution from The Leadership Conference Education Fund.