Sec.  0.41   Functions of the Office.

   The  Office  of  the  General  Counsel  has  the  following duties and
   responsibilities:

   (a) To advise and represent the Commission in matters of litigation.

   (b) To advise and make recommendations to the Commission with respect to
   proposed  legislation  and  submit  agency  views  on legislation when
   appropriate.

   (c) To interpret the statutes, international agreements, and international
   regulations affecting the Commission.

   (d) To prepare and make recommendations and interpretations concerning
   procedural  rules of general applicability and to review all rules for
   consistency with other rules, uniformity, and legal sufficiency.

   (e) To conduct research in legal matters as directed by the Commission.

   (f)  In  cooperation with the Office of Engineering and Technology, to
   participate in, render advice to the Commission, and coordinate the staff
   work with respect to general frequency allocation proceedings and other
   proceedings not within the jurisdiction of any single bureau, and to render
   advice with respect to rule making matters and proceedings affecting more
   than one bureau.

   (g) To exercise such authority as may be assigned or referred to it by the
   Commission pursuant to section 5(c) of the Communications Act of 1934, as
   amended.

   (h) To cooperate with the International Bureau on all matters pertaining to
   space satellite communications.

   (i) To interpret statutes and executive orders affecting the Commission's
   national defense responsibilities, and to perform such functions involving
   implementation of such statutes and executive orders as may be assigned to
   it by the Commission or the Defense Commissioner.

   (j) To perform all legal functions with respect to leases, contracts, tort
   claims and such other internal legal problems as may arise.

   (k)  To issue determinations on matters regarding the interception and
   recording of telephone conversations by Commission personnel. Nothing in
   this paragraph, however, shall affect the authority of the Inspector General
   to intercept or record telephone conversations as necessary in the conduct
   of investigations or audits.

   (l) To advise the Commission in the preparation and revision of rules and
   the implementation and administration of ethics regulations and the Freedom
   of Information, Privacy, Government in the Sunshine and Alternative Dispute
   Resolution Acts.

   (m) To assist and make recommendations to the Commission, and to individual
   Commissioners assigned to review initial decisions, as to the disposition of
   cases of adjudication and such other cases as, by Commission policy, are
   handled in the same manner and which have been designated for hearing.

   (n) To serve as the principal operating office on ex parte matters involving
   restricted proceedings. To review and dispose of all ex parte communications
   received from the public and others.

   (Secs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 315, 317, 48 Stat., as amended,
   1064, 1065, 1066, 1068, 1081, 1082, 1083, 1084, 1085, 1088, 1089; 47 U.S.C.
   152, 153, 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 315, 317)

   [ 28 FR 12392 , Nov. 22, 1963;  37 FR 19372 , Sept. 20, 1972, as amended at  40 FR 17253 , Apr. 18, 1975;  43 FR 29006 , July 5, 1978;  44 FR 39179 , July 5,
   1979;  46 FR 57050 , Nov. 20, 1981;  49 FR 47604 , Dec. 6, 1984;  50 FR 2985 ,
   Jan. 23, 1985;  50 FR 49048 , Nov. 29, 1985;  51 FR 12615 , Apr. 14, 1986;  60 FR 5323 , Jan. 27, 1995;  60 FR 34901 , July 5, 1995;  62 FR 4170 , Jan. 29, 1997;
    62 FR 15853 , Apr. 3, 1997;  64 FR 5950 , Feb. 8, 1999;  64 FR 57585 , Oct. 26,
   1999]

International Bureau