[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR0.41]

[Page 12-13]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
              CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
 
PART 0--COMMISSION ORGANIZATION--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart A--Organization
 
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 anysingle 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

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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