[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 1]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 47CFR0.141]



[Page 23-25]

 

                       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.



[[Page 24]]



    (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]



[[Page 25]]



                   Office of Administrative Law Judges