Bureau of Consumer Protection Internal Reorganization
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION BUREAU OF CONSUMER PROTECTION Internal Reorganization Notice is hereby given that the Fed eral Trade Commission has realigned responsibilities in its Bureau of Consum er Protection for the purpose of meet ing the objectives of better allocation of resources, including the Commission’s rulemaking authority, special emphasis on emerging areas of consumer protec tion work, and improved management in handling special statutes adminis tered by the Federal Trade Commission. The realignment of responsibility in the Bureau of Consumer Protection is as follows:
1. Abolition of the Division of Rules and Guides. Responsibility for the de velopment of rules is delegated to the operating divisions, with the present As sistant Director for Rules and Guides continuing in the role of conducting the rulemaking hearings as in the past with the aid of a small staff as Special As sistant Director for Rulemaking. 2. Division of Marketing Practices. As sumes the duties of the present Division of General litigation and, in addition, to focus on warranty rulemaking under section 5 and the pending warranty leg islation, undertaking the development of a series of trade regulation rules (or, if appropriate, cases or guides) governing warranty terms, disclaimers, perform ance, and the like.
Affirmative disclosure of vital product information also falls within the domain of the Division of Marketing Practices— including such matters as the Octane Rule, “lumens,” and other aspects of the Affirmative Disclosure Analytical Pro gram Guide (A PG ).
3. Division of Special Projects. The Di vision of Evaluation is recast from its role as an adjunct to the Director’s Of fice, with substantive responsibility to develop the “unfairness” doctrine; to consider itself as the task force for ap plying the S & H doctrine to areas of alleged consumer oppression as well as a broad range of alleged abusive prac tices used by certain segments of the ' economy which have not yet been dealt with by the Commission. The review, planning, and evaluation work presently carried out by the Evaluation Division will be done either in the Bureau Di rector’s Office or by the operating divi sions (including Special Projects) as the Bureau Director may decide. 4. Division of Special Statutes. The Division of Consumer Credit and Spe cial Projects is reconstituted as the Division of Special Statutes with enforce ment responsibility for the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, the Textile Fiber Products Identifi cation Act, the Wool and Fur Products Labeling Acts, and other special legis lation within the Commission’s jurisdic tion; and the responsibility for enforce ment of some of the trade regulation rules (Care Labeling, for example), 5. Division of National Advertising. In addition to present responsibilities, this Division has rulemaking responsibilities, including the development of affirmative disclosure rules in the drug, nutrition and cosmetic areas.
6. Divisions of Compliance, Consumer Education, and Scientific Opinions.
These Divisions remain unchanged; By direction of the Commission dated July 10,1973.
Ese al] C h arles A. T o b in , Secretary.
[FR Doc.73-24963 Filed 11-23-73;8:45 am]