Appendix C. Principal Advisory Committees on the 1997 Economic Census PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEES A public advisory committee is any group of personsnot composed wholly of officers or employees of the Federal Government-organized under Federal Governmental authority for the purpose of obtaining advice, recommendations, or other types of assistance. From April 1, 1994 to March 31, 2001 (the period in which the majority of the 1997 Economic Census operations took place), the U.S. Census Bureau had five public advisory committees that were responsible to the Director, the membership of which was made up entirely of non-Census Bureau persons. One of these committees, the Advisory Committee of Professional Associations, was concerned with one or more aspects of the economic census. The Committees' members were professional experts drawn from the business and academic associations that had earlier participated in four separate advisory committees. They made recommendations concerning the scope, content, and methodology, and proposed tabulations and publications for the censuses. They also made other recommendations to help the agency ensure that the censuses would provide accurate, meaningful data. Representation on these bodies changed during the census period.' The Advisory Committee of Professional Associations operated under provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which went into effect on January 5, 1973. This act stipulated that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would prescribe administrative guidelines and management controls. In addition the Committees were governed by Executive Order 11769 (February 21, 1974) and by OMB Circular A-63, revised (March 27, 1974). All these public advisory committees proposals or formal recommendations were reported to the Secretary of Commerce, together with appropriate responses by the Census Bureau indicating what actions, if any, would be taken as a result of these proposals. The advisory committees were established on the presumption that they could make significant contributions to the Census Bureau's program and objectives. Only the Secretary of Commerce could establish a public advisory committee within the Department, and no such body could be 'Presidential Executive Order 12838 (signed in February 1993) was implemented in 1994 transforming the American Statistical Association, American Economic Association, American Marketing Association, and Population Statistics Advisory Committees into one group called the Census Advisory Committee of Professional Associations. This single Advisory Committee is composed of the memberships from these professional associations and was organized into four individual subgroups. History-1997 Economic Census formed or used unless the Secretary formally determined that the establishment of such a committee was in the public interest and was connected with the performance of the Department's duties specified by law. Except where otherwise fixed by law, a public advisory committee terminated 2 years after its formation unless the Department of Commerce determined, in writing, not more than 60 days prior to the termination date that its continued existence was in the public interest. Until 1972, the Secretary was empowered to renew committee members' appointments as often as the Census Bureau might request; after that time, members of Census Bureau committees were generally limited to a maximum of 6 years of continuous service. None of the committee members received compensation, other than per diem and travel expenses, for attending meetings. The Committee, composed of the three subgroups described below usually met every 6 months.2 Their membership is shown for the period April 1, 1995 to March 31, 2001. THE AMERICAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION In November 1918, Secretary of Commerce William C. Redfield invited the presidents of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the American Economic Association (AEA) to appoint a joint public advisory committee to assist the Census Bureau in organizing and taking the 1920 Decennial Census. The joint committee met for the first time in February 1919. This so-called General Advisory Committee functioned until 1937 on a permanent basis, with its members drawn from the two associations. At that time, it was reconstituted, with all its members appointed by the ASA for 3-year terms. This oldest standing advisory committee of the Census Bureau was designed to be representative of all statistical fields in which the Census Bureau operated. The committee's functions were defined in 1964 as “(a) critically observing and appraising the Census Bureau program as a whole, and the progress of its various segments, (b) considering priority issues that arise between and within fields, (c) examining formulations of guiding principles, (d) advising on questions of policy and procedure, especially alternative sources of data, and (e) responding to the Census Bureau's requests for opinions and judgements in the whole area of its operations." 2A fourth subgroup of the committee, the Population Statistics Association, was not as directly concerned with the economic census as the other three subgroups. Appendix C C-1 THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION Various members of the American Economic Association (AEA), together with representatives of the ASA, served on a single Census Bureau advisory committee from 1919 to 1937. In 1960, when the Census Bureau was entering new areas of interest to economists and it appeared desirable to have a direct channel of contact with the principal professional organizations representing economists, a separate committee of AEA members was established. (From 1937 to 1960, the AEA was not represented by any particular committee). The president of the AEA appointed all members who served for 3-year (4-year prior to 1972) terms. While most of the committee's attention was given to the economic censuses, it also reviewed and commented on plans for other censuses, evaluation studies, and program planning with the larger framework of the Census Bureau's functions. Committee members who served during the planning and conduct of the 1997 Economic Census were as follows: Michael Gort, to 2000 • Bronwyn Hall, 1990 - 1995 Lee Lillard, to 2000 • Rebecca A. Maynard, 1998 - 2000 ■ Walter Oi, to 1996 (Chairperson 1993) ■ Ariel Pakes, 1996 - 2001 ■ Frederic M. Scherer, 1997 - 1999 ■ Daniel T. Slesnick, 2000 ■ Philip L. Swann, 2000 ■ Robert Willis, to 2000 THE AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION In 1945, the American Marketing Association (AMA) passed a resolution emphasizing the need for marketing information to promote the Nation's economy and outlining a suggested statistical program for the Census Bureau. The agency felt that a regular advisory committee provided the most efficient way to learn the needs for marketing statistics and to determine whether these needs could be met. Accordingly, in 1946, the Census Bureau requested that a committee be established for this purpose, and the president of the AMA appointed its members for 3-year terms. Committee members who served during the planning and conduct of the 1997 Economic Census were as follows: C-2 Appendix C History-1997 Economic Census Appendix D. Consultation on the Census Questionnaires More than a thousand agencies, trade associations, trade journals, and other organizations, including companies reporting in the censuses, were requested to recommend questionnaire content for the 1997 Economic Census. The list below shows by major North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) economic sector those organizations that responded. To protect confidentiality, companies in the censuses are not listed. RETAIL TRADE (Sector 44-45)-Con. Hearth Products Association Hobby Industry Home Improvement Research Institute Jewelers of America Manufactured Housing Institute Market Statistics, Incorporated Motor Age Magazine National Association of Music Merchants National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops National Coal Association National Decorating Products Association National Glass Association National Home Center News National Home Furnishings Association National Retail Hardware Association Painting and Decorating Contractors of America Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSING Other Organizations American Bus Association American Public Transit Association American Trucking Association American Warehouse Association Household Goods Forwarders Association International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses International Marina Institute National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of National Marine Manufacturers Association TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSING (Sector 48-49)-Con. Other Organizations-Con. Transportation Brokers Conference of America United States Tour Operators Association INFORMATION (SECTOR 51) Federal Agencies U. S. Department of Commerce U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Other Organizations Association of Telemessaging Services International, Inc. National Association of Broadcasters National Telephone Cooperative Association FINANCE AND INSURANCE (SECTOR 52) Federal Agencies Securities and Exchange Commission Other Organizations Alliance of American Insurers America's Community Bankers American Bankers Association American Council of Life Insurance Commercial Finance Association Financial Institutions of Marketing Associations Health Insurance Association of America Investment Company Institute Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association Mortgage Bankers Association of America National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations National Association of Health Underwriters National Association of Insurance Brokers National Association of Life Underwriters National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciary National Credit Union Administration National Futures Association National Society for Real Estate and Finance New York Stock Exchange Risk and Insurance Management Society Securities Industry Association |