Census Bureau Seeks Comments on the American Community Survey

 Beginning in 1810, the third census taken by the United States, the Census Bureau, a sub-agency within the Department of Commerce, understood that more information was needed about the public than the basic questions supplied.  This information was needed by business owners and potential business owners, academics doing research, other government agencies, etc.  Questions were added to the census covering various topics such as agriculture, industry, and commerce, as well as individuals' occupation, ancestry, marital status, disabilities, place of birth, and other topics.  These questions became unwieldy for the overall population, so in 1940, the Bureau created the long-form census questionnaire, which was sent to a random sampling of citizens.  More recently, the Bureau discovered that people need more up to date data than was provided by the decennial census.  In order to collect social, economic, and housing data continuously, the Bureau implemented, in 2005, the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS). This survey eliminated the need for the long-form of the census.

Periodically, the Census Bureau tests the questions to see if question wording, instructions, response categories, and underlying constructs need to be changed.  They also make changes to current topics or add topics as needed.  Current topics include household roster, educational attainment, health insurance coverage, disability, and labor force questions.  Three new topics are proposed for the 2025 census – solar panels, electric vehicles, and sewage disposal.

These changes and new topics will be available in the 2025 ACS/PRCS.  The Department of Commerce/Census Bureau is seeking comments on these changes and additions as well as on the validity of how questions are asked and the methodology of gathering and analyzing the information.  They are also asking for comments on how to make the survey less burdensome and more efficient for the respondents.

In order to read the document and make a comment, go to https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/10/20/2023-23249/agency-information-collection-activities-submission-to-the-office-of-management-and-budget-omb-for

Comments must be received on or before December 19, 2023.

The Census Bureau warns “comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our request to OMB (Office of Management and Budget) to approve this ICR (Information Collection Request). Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.”

 

War Crimes in Ukraine

 

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine was created by the UN Human Rights Council in 2022 to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. In March 2024, the Commission will submit a comprehensive report on its activities within its second mandate to the Human Rights Council.

The Commission submitted a preliminary report on October 19, 2023, with documentation, to the UN General Assembly that Russia has been, and continues to be, responsible for a number of war crimes. The full report is available here.

These include:

Indiscriminate attacks which include the wounding or death of civilians and the destruction of civilians’ property.  The Commissioners spoke with some of the survivors of the attacks and viewed the damage. 

Torture of detainees which reaches the level of war crimes.  Detainees have been held and tortured in Russia and in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine.  Most prisoners have been men accused of passing information to Ukraine or supporting Ukrainian forces.  Some victims have died from the severity of the torture. 

Rape and other sexual violence.  Other acts of violence often inflicted with the rapes have been severe beatings, strangling, suffocating, slashing, shooting next to the head of the victim, and willful killing.  The majority of these acts have been against civilians.

The deportation of children to Russia or Russian occupied territories. There have been at least 31 documented transfers of children out of Ukraine and away from parents and relatives.   Subsequent actions indicate that the Russians intend for the children to remain in Russia for a prolonged period of time.

The report also shows evidence of three times Ukrainian forces have been guilty of human rights violations against people they believe have been in collaboration with Russia. 

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the leading UN entity on human rights. They represent the world's commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

Snakes on a Plane, in an Apartment, or at the Supermarket? Assistance Animals Under Three Federal Statutes

 

Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. They recently posted a summary of laws dealing with service and assistance animals.

The three main laws concerning service and assistance animals for the disabled are the Americans with Disability Act, the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act. The Americans with Disabilities Act covers access to businesses and other public services.  The Air Carrier Access Act specifically addresses airlines (as opposed to airports covered by the ADA), and the Fair Housing Act concerns non-commercial housing and covers property owners, housing managers, HOA's, insurers, real estate agents, housing authorities, and colleges and universities.  All three acts state that businesses and services must make "reasonable modifications" to policies, practices, and procedures.  

According to the ADA, a disability is a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activity.  The ADA and the ACAA only protect service animals -- those animals trained to do work or perform tasks specifically related to the disability.  Only dogs and miniature horses are covered by ADA and ACAA.  Miniature horses may be used by people who are allergic to dogs.  No peacocks need apply.  Emotional support animals are not covered by these acts, but trained animals providing psychiatric assistance are.  

Businesses may not ask a person what their disability is, but they can ask what the animal has been trained to do.  Airlines may ask for DOT (Department of Transportation) forms concerning the health and/or training of the animal.  Animals must always be under the control of the handler, who must provide care and clean up.  

The FHA does protect assistance animals as well as service animals, including untrained ones, although the housing provider can still ask about the animal's function and for verification and documentation.  Common household animals (dogs, cats, etc.) are protected, but barnyard and exotic animals are not without documented proof of need.  Housing agents must allow the animals, but owners are liable for the cost of any damages caused by the animal.

The HUD says that denials of assistance animals accommodations are rising and are one of the most common fair housing complaints.

Other acts that include information about service and assistance animals are the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Affordable Care Act, the Congressional Accountability Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  

Iran, Hamas, Israel, and the United States

The United States Institute of Peace is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, founded by Congress and dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical and essential for U.S. and global security. The USIP regularly gathers statements from US, and some foreign, government officials on particular situations. 

Today the USIP made a statement about the Hamas attack on Israel. They pointed out that Hamas, although a Palestinian movement, is armed and trained by the support of Iran. While US and Israeli officials were initially concerned that Iran was complicit in the attack on Israel, there has been no evidence at this time that Iran directed or was behind it. The US has subsequently warned Iran not to get involved in the current situation. 

Iran has been of grave concern to the US for some time now because of it’s potential for making nuclear weapons. Through several presidencies, with bipartisan convictions, the US has considered Iran one of the greatest threats to US interests in the Middle East. In addition to attempted nuclear weapon proliferation, Iran has created increasingly accurate ballistic missiles, provided drones to Russia, provided financial and military support to militias in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen as well as Hamas and Hezbollah, increased aggression against the US at sea, conducted cyberattacks against the US government and plotted the assassination of US officials. According to intelligence, Iran has the supplies and the capability to make four nuclear weapons in a year or two. Since November of 2022, the US and Israel have increased their joint military operations to combat any move by Iran to produce such weapons. The “Juniper Oak 23” exercise held in January 2023 was the largest U.S.-Israeli military exercise ever conducted. Although numerous US officials have stated that diplomacy is the best way to deal with Iran’s plans for nuclear weapons, all have ended their statements with words along the lines of “but nothing is off the table.”

Israel-Hamas War: U.S. and Europe on Iran Role (October 12, 2023) 

U.S.: The Iran Threat & Options (August 1, 2023)