Authority Delegated to the General Counsel

The Commission has concluded that the proper dispatch of its business and the public interest will be best served by expanding the authority delegated to the General Counsel regarding hearing matters. In order to facilitate prompt resolution of adjudicatory hearing proceedings, the Commission has delegated authority to the General Counsel to issue all appropriate orders and to act on all requests for relief regarding hearing matters pending before the Commission en banc, except those requests which involve final disposition on the merits of a previously specified issue concerning an applicant's basic qualifications or two or more applicants' comparative qualifications.