Intergovernmental Consumer Assistance Act - Authorizes appropriations of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, $7,500,000 for fiscal year 1978, and $9,00,000 for fiscal year 1979 for the establishment and strengthening of consumer protection offices of State and local governments.
Requires the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to assist the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in carrying out the purposes of this Act.
Directs the Secretary to allot each possession $10,000 for the three fiscal years and to allot each State the sums of $50,000, $75,000, and $90,000 for each of the three fiscal years, respectively. Provides that allotments shall be made to each State and possession which has submitted an adequate consumer protection plan that has been approved by the Secretary. Requires each consumer plan to provide for consumer education; consumer research; representation of consumer interests; studying the problems of low income consumers; serving as consumer complaint centers; providing counseling including legal services to the consumer; mediating consumer-retailer disputes; investigating complaints; cooperating with Federal and State agencies; setting forth fiscal controls and providing that Federal funds be used only in carrying out this plan.
Provides that the Federal share of the cost of carrying out a plan submitted by a consumer protection office shall not exceed 75 percent.
Authorizes the Secretary to withhold Federal funds for failure to comply with the approved consumer plan.
Requires the Secretary to submit a detailed report as part of the annual report of the Department of HEW on the administration of this Act.
Designates this Act as the "Intergovernmental Consumer Assistance and Protection Act".
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
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