Goto Section: 0.131 | 0.151 | Table of Contents
FCC 0.141
Revised as of October 1, 2007
Goto Year:2006 |
2008
Sec. 0.141 Functions of the Bureau.
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau develops and administers the
Commission's consumer and governmental affairs policies and initiatives to
enhance the public's understanding of the Commission's work and to
facilitate the Agency's relationships with other governmental agencies and
organizations. The Bureau is responsible for rulemaking proceedings
regarding general consumer education policies and procedures and serves as
the primary Commission entity responsible for communicating with the general
public regarding Commission policies, programs, and activities in order to
facilitate public participation in the Commission's decision-making
processes. The Bureau also performs the following functions:
(a) Advises and makes recommendations to the Commission, or acts for the
Commission under delegated authority, in matters pertaining to consumers and
governmental affairs. This includes policy development and coordination as
well as adjudication and rulemaking.
(b) Collaborates with, and advises and assists, the public, state and local
governments, and other governmental agencies and industry groups on consumer
matters.
(c) Advises the Commission and other Bureaus and Offices of consumer and
governmental affairs-related areas of concern or interest; initiates,
reviews, and coordinates orders, programs and actions, in conjunction with
other Bureaus and Offices, in matters regarding consumer education policies
and procedures, and any other related issues affecting consumer policy;
represents the Commission on consumer and governmental-related committees,
working groups, task forces and conferences within and outside the
Commission; and provides expert advice and assistance to Bureaus and Offices
and consumers regarding compliance with applicable disability and
accessibility requirements, rules, and regulations.
(d) Collects and analyzes information from industry, other Bureaus and
Offices, and the media, as well as information received in the Bureau from
informal consumer inquiries and complaints, rulemakings, and consumer
forums; identifies trends that affect consumers; in consultation with the
Office of the Managing Director, provides objectives and evaluation methods
for the public information portion of the Commission's Government
Performance and Results Act submissions and other Commission-wide strategic
planning efforts.
(e) Researches, develops, and distributes materials to inform consumers
about the Commission's rules, proposals, and events, and to promote consumer
participation in Commission rulemakings and activities; maintains the
Commission's Consumer Information Directory; develops a library of commonly
requested materials on issues of interest to all consumers. Ensures that
alternative translations of Commission materials are available to Commission
employees, Bureaus, Offices, and members of the public.
(f) Advises and makes recommendations to the Commission, or acts for the
Commission under delegated authority, in matters pertaining to persons with
disabilities. Provides expert advice and assistance, as required, to other
Bureaus and Offices, consumers, industry, and others on issues relevant to
persons with disabilities. Initiates rulemakings, where appropriate; reviews
relevant agenda items and other documents and coordinates with Bureaus and
Offices to develop recommendations and propose policies to ensure that
communications are accessible to persons with disabilities, in conformance
with existing disability laws and policies, and that they support the
Commission's goal of increasing accessibility of communications services and
technologies for persons with disabilities.
(g) Plans, develops, and conducts consumer outreach and education
initiatives to educate the public about important Commission regulatory
programs. In coordination with other Bureaus and Offices, establishes
liaison(s) for information sharing purposes to ensure coordination on all
consumer outreach projects. Ensures that alternative translations of
Commission materials are available to Commission employees, Bureaus, Offices
and members of the public.
(h) Serves as the official FCC records custodian for designated records,
including intake processing, organization and file maintenance, reference
services, and retirement and retrieval of records; manages the Electronic
Comment Filing System and certifies records for adjudicatory and court
proceedings. Maintains manual and computerized files that provide for the
public inspection of public record materials concerning Broadcast Ownership,
AM/FM/TV, TV Translators, FM Translators, Cable TV, Wireless, Auction,
Common Carrier Tariff matters, International space station files, earth
station files, DBS files, and other miscellaneous international files. Also
maintains for public inspection Time Brokerage and Affiliation Agreements,
court citation files, and legislative histories concerning
telecommunications dockets. Provides the public and Commission staff prompt
access to manual and computerized records and filing systems.
(i) Provides informal mediation and resolution of individual informal
consumer inquiries and complaints consistent with Commission regulations.
Resolves certain classes of informal complaints, as specified by the
Commission, through findings of fact and issuance of orders. Receives,
reviews, and analyzes responses to informal complaints; maintains manual and
computerized files that permit the public inspection of informal consumer
complaints; mediates and attempts to settle unresolved disputes in informal
complaints as appropriate; and coordinates with other Bureaus and Offices to
ensure that consumers are provided with accurate, up-to-date information.
Develops and fosters partnerships with state regulatory entities to promote
the sharing of information pertaining to informal complaint files maintained
by the Bureau.
(j) Provides leadership to other Bureaus and Offices for dissemination of
consumer information via the Internet.
(k) In coordination with other Bureaus and Offices, handles Congressional
and other correspondence related to specific informal consumer complaints,
or other specific matters within the responsibility of the Bureau, to the
extent not otherwise handled by the Office of General Counsel or other
Bureaus or Offices. Responds to and/or coordinates due diligence and other
requests for information pertaining to informal inquiries and complaints
under the responsibility of the Bureau with other Bureaus and Offices.
[ 67 FR 13219 , Mar. 21, 2002]
Office of Administrative Law Judges
Goto Section: 0.131 | 0.151
Goto Year: 2006 |
2008
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