§  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