Treasury Directive
27-06
Date:
October 31, 2008
SUBJECT: Organization and Functions of the Office of the Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs and Business Affairs & Public Liaison)
1. PURPOSE. This directive describes the organization and functions of the Office of the Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs and Business Affairs & Public Liaison).
2. SCOPE. This directive applies to all bureaus, the Departmental Offices (DO), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Office of Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The authority of the Inspectors General is set forth in Section 3 of the Inspector General Act and the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act, and defined in Treasury Order 114-01 (OIG) and Treasury Order 115-01 (TIGTA), or successor orders. The provisions of this directive shall not be construed to interfere with that authority.
3. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE. The Assistant Secretary supervises the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Business Affairs & Public Liaison), The Office of Public Affairs reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs). The Office of Business Affairs & Public Liaison reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Business Affairs & Public Liaison).
4. RESPONSIBILITIES.
a. The Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs and Business Affairs & Public Liaison) reports through the Deputy Secretary to the Secretary and is responsible for the following functions:
1) establishes general operating policies and guidelines, and provides leadership, direction and management strategy for administering public affairs, intergovernmental relations, and business and consumer affairs programs and activities in the Departmental Offices and all Treasury bureaus;
2) formulates and executes media information policies and programs to increase the public's knowledge and understanding of Treasury's activities and services;
3) serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and senior officials throughout the Department of the Treasury on relations with news media, including development of strategies to enhance relations with the press, and accompanies the Secretary on official travel to serve as a principal media assistant;
4) provides business, consumer affairs, and intergovernmental relations program and policy development for the Departmental Offices;
5) communicates the Secretary's policies and views orally and through press releases and other written materials; keeps the Secretary well informed of news media developments that bear on the Secretary's responsibilities;
6) serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and senior officials throughout the Department of the Treasury on matters affecting the understanding by businesses, trade, professional, and consumer groups of Treasury policies and programs;
7) identifies and brings to the attention of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and senior Treasury officials emerging issues of major significance not yet receiving policy consideration within the Department;
8) communicates with the financial, business and academic communities for the purpose of identifying and developing major issues for the attention and consideration of senior Treasury officials;
9) serves as the principal liaison with the Office of the Press Secretary to the President to coordinate Treasury and White House policy and public positions, to arrange news media briefings relating to Presidential activities, and to coordinate Administration policies with other Departments and agencies; and
b. The Deputy Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs) is responsible for the following functions:
1) assists in the formulation of policy that governs the information and public affairs programs of all Departmental Offices and Treasury bureaus and coordinates policy goals with broad national policy through contacts with the White House staff;
2) exercises general review and control over major phases of bureau informational and public affairs programs to assure coordination and compatibility with the overall Department of the Treasury policy;
3) directs and supervises the public information efforts conducted by the Director, Office of Public Affairs. The office is responsible for:
(a) formulating and executing media information policies and programs which will increase the public's knowledge and understanding of Treasury's position on particular issues, activities and services;
(b) communicating the Secretary's policies through press releases, news conferences, interviews and other written documents;
(c) informing the Secretary and senior management of news and media developments that bear on the Secretary's responsibilities;
(d) developing strategies to enhance relations with the press and accompanying the Secretary on official travel to serve as a personal media adviser;
(e) serving as the principal liaison with the Office of the Press Secretary to the President for coordinating Treasury and White House policy and public positions; and
(f) arranging news media briefings and events relating to Presidential activities and coordinating Administration policies with other Departments and agencies.
c. The Deputy Assistant Secretary (Business Affairs & Public Liaison) is responsible for the following functions:
1) develops and implements business, consumer and intergovernmental affairs policies and programs which will increase the understanding of business, trade and professional organizations and consumer and intergovernmental groups;
2) provides business, consumer, and intergovernmental affairs logistic support, program development and policy development to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and other senior officials;
3) advises the Secretary on matters affecting the understanding by business, trade and professional organizations and consumer and intergovernmental groups of Treasury policies and programs;
4) processes mail from the general public addressed to the Secretary and the President regarding Treasury issues related to business, trade, and/or consumer affairs; and
5) directs and supervises public liaison efforts conducted by the Office of Business Affairs & Public Liaison. The office is responsible for:
(a) conducts research, prepares fact sheets and occasional papers on various aspects of the Treasury's mission and the office's activities;
(b) distributes pertinent informational material internally and externally for review and comment;
(c) prepares background information for the Secretary and other key Treasury personnel regarding business, trade and professional organizations, and consumer affairs;
(d) edits publications, information documents, special studies, brochures, pamphlets, etc.;
(e) receives, analyzes, refers or answers directly the public correspondence addressed to the Department related to business, trade, and/or consumer affairs;
(f) maintains constant contact with business, financial, and industrial personnel and with Treasury constituent units regarding developing and current policies affecting business, industry, and other financial markets;
(g) handles inquiries from business, financial, and industrial representatives for the Secretary of the Treasury;
(h) designs programs, plans, and policies to achieve Secretarial and Presidential level priorities;
(i) provides guidance to specialized functional areas within Treasury regarding Secretarial level policies and programs affecting business, financial and industrial interests;
(j) coordinates the planning, production, and distribution of publications to inform businesses, trade and professional organizations regarding Treasury related matters;
(k) analyzes Treasury programs and policies affecting businesses, trade and professional organizations and recommends changes as needed;
(l) serves as liaison to mayors, governors, State and local officials, other Federal agencies, minority, conservative, and labor groups;
(m) represents the Assistant Secretary and the Department at conferences, planning and policy meetings (i.e., National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Conference of State Legislatures);
(n) analyzes Treasury policy initiatives to determine the economic, political, or regulatory impact of Administration policy to determine the outreach efforts necessary to engender support for the Administration's programs;
(o) serves as the liaison to the Office of the Vice President and the White House regarding briefings, background papers, etc.;
(p) oversees the implementation of pertinent consumer-related Executive Orders;
(q) maintains contact and works with consumer organizations in the public and private sectors and facilitates consumer involvement in Treasury activities;
(r) reviews Treasury rules, regulations, policies, programs and proposed legislation impacting upon consumers;
(s) apprises the Secretary and senior policy officials of the potential impact on consumers of policy initiatives under development and review within the Department; and
(t) prepares annual reports for submission to the Secretary and represents the Secretary on consumer-related issues.
5. CANCELLATION. Treasury Directive 27-06, "Responsibilities and Functions of the Office of the Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs and Public Liaison)," dated June 13, 1990, is superseded.
6. OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST. Office of the Assistant Secretary (Public Affairs and Business Affairs & Public Liaison).
/S/
Michele Davis
Assistant Secretary
(Public Affairs and Business Affairs & Public Liaison)