Fact sheet: Why do we need a combined race and ethnicity question?

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is soliciting public input on initial proposals to revise its standards for federal race and ethnicity data collection through April 12, 2023. Among the key proposed revisions is the adoption of a combined race and ethnicity question format. Under OMB’s current standards, race and ethnicity data are collected through two separate questions, with the ethnicity question (asking about Hispanic or Latino origin) placed before the race question. This FAQ explains why adopting a combined question would be a critical step forward in allowing more people to see themselves accurately reflected in federal data.