Consumer Protection Act

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #672 (208-199))

Consumer Protection Act - Establishes as an independent agency within the executive branch the Agency for Consumer Protection. States that the Agency shall be headed by an Administrator appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Requires the Administrator to transmit to the Congress and the President in January of each year a comprehensive statement of the activities and accomplishments of the Agency during the preceding calendar year, including a summary of consumer complaints received and actions taken thereon and recommendations for legislation necessary or desirable to protect the interests of consumers within the United States.

Directs the Agency, in the performance of its functions, to advise the Congress and the President as to matters affecting the interests of consumers; and to protect and promote the interests of the people of the United States as consumers of goods and services made available to them through the trade and commerce of the United States.

States the functions of the Agency, including to: (1) represent the interests of consumers before Federal agencies and courts to the extent authorized by this Act; (2) encourage and support research, studies, and testing leading to a better understanding of consumer products and improved products, services, and consumer information; and (3) submit recommendations annually to the Congress and the President on measures to improve the operation of the Federal Government in the protection and promotion of the interests of consumers.

Directs the Agency to receive, evaluate, develop, act on, and transmit complaints to the appropriate Federal or non-Federal entities concerning actions or practices which may be detrimental to the interests of consumers.

Authorizes the Agency to issue written interrogatories or requests for information from any business, trade or industry to the extent required to protect consumers unless the business has less than $1,000,000 in net assets or fewer than 25 employees. Requires the Agency to notify the appropriate committees of Congress of all interrogatiories or requests issued and all complaints alleging abuse of the Agency's authority to collect such information.

Requires the Agency to maintain a public document room containing an up-to-date listing, for public inspection and copying, of all significant signed consumer complaints which the Agency has received, arranged in meaningful and useful categories, together with annotations of actions taken by the Agency. Directs the Agency to investigate and report to Congress on the desirability and feasibility of establishing a National Consumer Information Foundation which would administer a voluntary, self-supporting, information tag program.

Authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to transfer activities presently performed by other agencies to the Agency for Consumer Protection if he finds that such activities can be performed more appropriately by the Agency or where he finds such activities would be duplicative.

Prohibits sex discrimination in any program or activity, carried on or receiving Federal assistance under the Act.

Authorizes to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act such sums as may be required for fiscal year 1976, for the transitional period July 1, 1976, through September 30, 1976, and for fiscal years 1977 and 1978.

Terminates this Act on September 30, 1983, unless extended by Congress.