    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2002]
    [Pages 428-432]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 428]]

    FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

    600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20580
    Phone, 202-326-2222. Internet, www.ftc.gov.

    Chairman                                          Timothy J. Muris
        Executive Assistant                           Christine Wilson
    Commissioners                                     Sheila F. Anthony,
                                                              Thomas B.
                                                              Leary, Orson
                                                              Swindle,
                                                              Mozelle W.
                                                              Thompson
    Executive Director                                Rosemarie A. Straight
        Deputy Executive Director                     Judith Bailey
        Chief Information Officer                     Stephen Warren
        Chief Financial Officer                       Henry Hoffman
    Director, Bureau of Competition                   Joseph J. Simons
        Deputy Directors                              Susan A. Creighton
                                                      M. Sean Royall
    Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection           J. Howard Beales III
        Deputy Directors                              Lydia B. Parnes
                                                      C. Lee Peeler
    Director, Bureau of Economics                     David T. Scheffman
        Deputy Directors                              Mary Coleman, Acting
                                                      Paul A. Pautler
    General Counsel                                   William E. Kovacic
        Principal Deputy General Counsel              John D. Graubert
    Director, Office of Congressional Relations       Anna H. Davis
    Director, Office of Public Affairs                Cathy M. MacFarlane
    Director, Office of Policy Planning               R. Ted Cruz
    Secretary of the Commission                       Donald S. Clark
    Chief Administrative Law Judge                    James P. Timony
    Inspector General                                 Frederick J. Zirkel

    [For the Federal Trade Commission statement of organization, see the
            Code of Federal Regulations, Title 16, Part 0]

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    The Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction to enhance consumer
    welfare and protect competition in broad sectors of the economy. The
    Commission enforces the laws that prohibit business practices that are
    anticompetitive, deceptive, or unfair to consumers; promotes informed
    consumer choice and public understanding of the competitive process; and
    seeks to accomplish its mission without impeding legitimate business
    activity.

    The Federal Trade Commission was established in 1914 by the Federal
    Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41-58). The Commission is composed of
    five members appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of
    the Senate, for a term of 7 years. Not more than three of the
    Commissioners may be members of the same political party. One
    Commissioner is designated by the President as Chairman of the
    Commission and is responsible for its administrative management.

    Activities

    The Commission's principal functions are to:
        --promote competition through the prevention of general trade
    restraints such as price-fixing agreements, boycotts, illegal
    combinations of

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    competitors, and other unfair methods of competition;
        --stop corporate mergers, acquisitions, or joint ventures that may
    substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly;
        --prevent pricing discrimination, exclusive dealing, tying
    arrangements, and discrimination among competing customers by sellers;
        --prevent interlocking directorates or officers' positions that may
    restrain competition;
        --prevent the dissemination of false or deceptive advertisements of
    consumer productsand services as well as other unfair or deceptive
    practices;
        --promote electronic commerce by stopping fraud on the Internet and
    working with other domestic and foreign agencies to develop and promote
    policies to safeguard online privacy of personal information;
        --protect the privacy of consumers' personal informationto prevent
    illegal or unwanted use of financial or other data;
        --stop various fraudulent telemarketing schemes and protect
    consumers from abusive, deceptive, or unwanted telephone tactics;
        --ensure truthful labeling of textile, wool, and fur products;
        --require creditors to disclose in writing certain cost information,
    such as the annual percentage rate, before consumers enter into credit
    transactions, as required by the Truth in Lending Act;
        --protect consumers against circulation of inaccurate or obsolete
    credit reports and ensure that credit bureaus, consumer reporting
    agencies, credit grantors, and bill collectors exercise their
    responsibilities in a manner that is fair and equitable;
        --educate consumers and businesses about their rights and
    responsibilities under FTC rules and regulations; and
        --gather factual data concerning economic and business conditions
    and make it available to the Congress, the President, and the public.

    Antitrust  One of the two major missions of the Commission is to
    encourage competition in the American economy. The Commission seeks to
    prevent unfair practices that undermine competition and attempts to
    prevent mergers of companies if the result may be to lessen competition.
    Under some circumstances, companies planning to merge must first give
    notice to the Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust
    Division and provide certain information concerning the operations of
    the companies involved.
        The Commission also enforces the provisions of the Robinson-Patman
    Act, a part of the Clayton Act prohibiting companies from discriminating
    among their customers in terms of price or other services provided.

    Consumer Protection  Consumer protection is the second of the two main
    missions of the Commission. The Commission works to:
        --increase the usefulness of advertising by ensuring that it is
    truthful and not misleading;
        --reduce instances of fraudulent, deceptive, or unfair marketing
    practices;
        --prevent creditors from using unlawful practices when granting
    credit, maintaining credit information, collecting debts, and operating
    credit systems; and
        --educate the public about Commission activities.
        The Commission initiates investigations in areas of concern to
    consumers. It has issued and enforces many trade regulation rules in
    areas important to consumers, including health and nutrition claims in
    advertising; environmental advertising and labeling; general advertising
    issues; health care, telemarketing and electronic commerce, business
    opportunity, and franchise and investment fraud; mortgage lending and
    discrimination; enforcement of Commission orders; and enforcement of
    credit statutes and trade regulation rules.

    Competition and Consumer Advocacy  To promote competition, consumer
    protection, and the efficient allocation of resources, the Commission
    also advocates consumer interest in a competitive marketplace by
    encouraging courts, legislatures, and government administrative bodies
    to consider efficiency and consumer welfare as important elements in
    their deliberations. The Commission uses these opportunities

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    to support procompetitive means of regulating the Nation's economy,
    including the elimination of anticompetitive restrictions that reduce
    the welfare of consumers and the implementation of regulatory programs
    that protect the public and preserve as much as possible the discipline
    of competitive markets.

    Compliance Activities  Through systematic and continuous review, the
    Commission obtains and maintains compliance with its cease-and-desist
    orders. All respondents against whom such orders have been issued are
    required to file reports with the Commission to substantiate their
    compliance. In the event compliance is not obtained, or if the order is
    subsequently violated, civil penalty proceedings may be instituted.

    Cooperative Procedures  In carrying out the statutory directive to
    prevent unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive practices,
    the Commission makes extensive use of voluntary and cooperative
    procedures. Through these procedures, business and industry may obtain
    authoritative guidance and a substantial measure of certainty as to what
    they may do under the laws administered by the Commission.
        The Commission issues administrative interpretations in plain
    language of laws enforced by the Commission. Guides provide the basis
    for voluntary abandonment of unlawful practices by members of a
    particular industry or by an industry in general. Failure to comply with
    the guides may result in corrective action by the Commission under
    applicable statutory provisions.

    Enforcement  The Commission's law enforcement work falls into two
    general categories: actions to foster voluntary compliance with the law,
    and formal administrative or Federal court litigation leading to
    mandatory orders against offenders.
        Compliance with the law may be obtained through voluntary and
    cooperative action by private companies in response to nonbinding staff
    advice, formal advisory opinions by the Commission, and guides and
    policy statements delineating legal requirements as to particular
    business practices.
        Formal litigation is instituted either by issuing an administrative
    complaint or by filing a Federal district court complaint charging a
    person, partnership, or corporation with violating one or more of the
    statutes administered by the Commission. If the charges in an
    administrative matter are not contested or if the charges are found to
    be true after an administrative hearing in a contested case, an order
    may be issued requiring discontinuance of the unlawful practices.

    Investigations  Investigations by the Commission may originate through
    complaint by a consumer or a competitor, the Congress, or from Federal,
    State, or municipal agencies. Also, the Commission itself may initiate
    an investigation into possible violations of the laws it administers. No
    formality is required in submitting a complaint. A letter giving the
    facts in detail, accompanied by all supporting evidence in possession of
    the complaining party, is sufficient. The Commission also maintains an
    electronic complaint system accessible through its Web site. It is the
    general policy of the Commission not to disclose the identity of any
    complainant, except as required by law or Commission rules.
        Upon receipt of a complaint, various criteria are applied in
    determining whether the particular matter should be investigated.
        An order issued after an administrative proceeding that requires the
    respondent to cease and desist or take other corrective action may be
    appealed. Appeals processes may go as far as the Supreme Court.
        In addition to or in lieu of the administrative proceeding initiated
    by a formal complaint, the Commission may request that a U.S. district
    court issue a preliminary or permanent injunction to halt the use of
    allegedly unfair or deceptive practices, to prevent an anticompetitive
    merger or unfair methods of competition from taking place, or to prevent
    violations of any statute enforced by the Commission.

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    Reports  The Commission prepares studies of conditions and problems
    affecting the marketplace. Such reports may be used to inform
    legislative proposals in response to requests of the Congress and
    statutory directions, or for the information and guidance of the
    Commission, the executive branch of the Government, and the public. Such
    reports have provided the basis for significant legislation and have
    also led to voluntary changes in the conduct of business, with resulting
    benefits to the public.

                                       Regional Offices--Federal Trade Commission
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                    Region                                     Address                              Director
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    East Central (DC, DE, MD, MI, OH, PA,   Suite 200, 111 Superior Ave., Cleveland, OH    John Mendenhall
     VA, WV)                                 44114
    Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MN, MO,    Suite 1860, 55 Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603-  C. Steven Baker
     ND, NE, SD, WI)                         5701
    Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI,  Suite 318, One Bowling Green, New York, NY     Barbara Anthony
     VT)                                     10004
    Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)      Suite 2896, 915 2d Ave., Seattle, WA 98174     Charles A. Harwood
    Southeast (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN)  Suite 1500, 225 Peachtree St., NE., Atlanta,   Andrea Foster
                                             GA 30303
    Southwest (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)          Suite 2150, 1999 Bryan St., Dallas, TX 75201-  Bradley Elbein
                                             0101
    Western (AZ, CA, CO, HI, NV, UT)        Suite 700, 10877 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles,  Jeffrey A. Klurfeld
                                             CA 90024
                                            Suite 570, 901 Market St., San Francisco, CA
                                             94103
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    Sources of Information

    Contracts and Procurement  Persons seeking to do business with the
    Federal Trade Commission should contact the Assistant CFO for
    Acquisitions, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. Phone,
    202-326-2258. Fax, 202-326-3529. Internet, www.ftc.gov.

    Employment  Civil service registers are used in filling positions for
    economists, accountants, investigators, and other professional,
    administrative, and clerical personnel. The Federal Trade Commission
    employs a sizable number of attorneys under the excepted appointment
    procedure. All employment inquiries should be directed to the Director
    of Human Resources Management, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC
    20580. Phone, 202-326-2021. Fax, 202-326-2328. Internet, www.ftc.gov.

    General Inquiries  Persons desiring information on consumer protection
    or restraint of trade questions, or to register a complaint, should
    contact the Federal Trade Commission (phone, 202-326-2222 or 877-382-
    4357 (toll free)) or the nearest regional office. Complaints may also be
    filed on the Internet at www.ftc.gov.

    Publications  Consumer and business education publications of the
    Commission are available through the Consumer Response Center, Federal
    Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. Phone, 877-382-4357 (toll free).
    TTY, 202-326-2502. Internet, www.ftc.gov.

    For further information, contact the Office of Public Affairs, Federal
    Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20580.
    Phone, 202-326-2180. Fax, 202-326-3676. Internet, www.ftc.gov.

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