From The Census Project (May 15):

"The U.S. Census Bureau seeks comment on revisions to the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS) by June 14, 2026, but the Federal Register Notice (FRN) omits a key aspect of the earlier notice, without explanation.

" 'Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on December 19, 2025, during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.'

"...However, something else is missing from the FRN. In the original FRN in December 2025, the Census Bureau proposed revising the ACS race and ethnicity questions starting in 2027, to comply with OMB Statistical Policy Directive 15 (SPD 15) that requires a combined race and ethnicity question with a new Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) category and collection of detailed subgroup data whenever possible. Stakeholders have flagged the lack of any mention of the issue one way or another, and anyone interested in SPD 15 should consider filing comments."

The Federal Register notice from May 14, 2026 is here.

(See a previous DCSS news item from February with additional context.)

Note also that Hansi Lo Wang of NPR posted on BlueSky (May 15), "The Census Bureau stopped plans to use an updated question about race and ethnicity in the 2027 American Community Survey after a White House agency delayed the deadline for agency plans for complying with revised government standards on racial and ethnic data."

(Previous DCSS news item, "OMB Postpones SPD 15 Data on Race and Ethnicity Implementation")