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NEWS | |||||||
Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 |
News media information 202 / 418-0500 TTY: 1-888-835-5322 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov |
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). |
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CONSUMER AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU LAUNCHED; NEW BUREAU HAS EXPANDED POLICY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ROLES |
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Washington, DC – As part of the FCC organizational reform, effective March 25, the former Consumer Information Bureau will become the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), with increased policymaking and intergovernmental affairs responsibility. The latter function will encompass intra-agency coordination and building relationships with other federal agencies and tribal, state and local governments. The new bureau will be strategic, proactive and deliberate in all its activities. It will engage consumers, states, other governmental organizations and the industry in an ongoing discussion, with one objective being to better inform and educate consumers to enable them to make smart choices in the increasingly competitive telecom marketplace. The bureau will also solicit consumers’ views on matters important to the Commission. The bureau will have a new Policy Division that will be responsible for consumer-related rulemakings and orders. The division will also have a section dedicated to analyzing consumer complaint and industry trends. An expanded Disabilities Rights Office (DRO) will initiate and implement policy, monitor the effects of telecom policy on the disability community and make recommendations based on its findings. The bureau overall will expand its outreach to people with disabilities. The Washington, DC, and Gettysburg, PA, Consumer Centers will continue their front-line function of responding to consumer inquiries and resolving informal complaints. Their duties will be expanded to include responding to inquiries and complaints regarding cable service matters. The Information Access and Privacy Office will review matters arising under the Freedom of Information Act, due diligence and other requests for information. The Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division will take a proactive approach in working with consumers, including outreach to under-served communities throughout the country, to increase awareness of the FCC as a consumer resource. The division will coordinate public forums and other events nationwide to ensure that the FCC maintains contact with people “beyond the beltway.” The Reference Information Center remains the principal point of contact with the public seeking FCC records and documents. K. Dane Snowden, chief of CGB said, “With these changes in place, CGB is ready to implement the mission with which Chairman Powell has tasked us: to develop and implement an aggressive and strategic plan to engage consumers, states, other governmental organizations and the industry in a dialogue that will mutually benefit those stakeholders as well as the agency’s consumer policies and outreach initiatives.” - FCC - CGB contact: Patricia Green at (202) 418-1571. |