[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR0.141]

[Page 22-23]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
              CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
 
PART 0--COMMISSION ORGANIZATION--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart A--Organization
 
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

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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