‘‘(5) PUBLIC UTILITY.—The term ‘public util-
ity’ has the meaning given the term in section 
201(e). 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Commission an office, to be known as the ‘Office of 
Public Participation and Consumer Advocacy’. 
‘‘(c) DIRECTOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Office shall be headed 
by a Director, to be appointed by the President by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate from 
among individuals who— 
‘‘(A) are licensed attorneys admitted to the 
bar of— 
‘‘(i) any State; or 
‘‘(ii) the District of Columbia; and 
‘‘(B) have experience relating to public 
utility proceedings. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Director shall coordinate 
assistance made available to— 
‘‘(A) the public, with respect to authorities 
exercised by the Commission; and 
‘‘(B) individuals and entities intervening or 
participating, or proposing to intervene or par-
ticipate, in proceedings before the Commission. 
‘‘(3) COMPENSATION AND POWERS.— 
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‘‘(A) COMPENSATION.—The Director shall 
be compensated at a rate equal to the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay pre-
scribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
‘‘(B) POWERS.—The Director may— 
‘‘(i) employ at the Office— 
‘‘(I) not more than 125 full-time 
professional employees at appropriate 
levels of the General Schedule; and 
‘‘(II) such additional support 
personnel as the Director determines 
to be necessary; and 
‘‘(ii) procure for the Office such tem-
porary and intermittent services as the Di-
rector determines to be necessary. 
‘‘(d) POWERS OF OFFICE.—The Office may— 
‘‘(1) intervene, appear, and participate, in ac-
cordance with this section, in administrative, regu-
latory, or judicial proceedings on behalf of energy 
customers with respect to any matter concerning the 
rates, charges, prices, tariffs, or service of public 
utilities and natural gas companies, or natural gas 
siting and infrastructure development, under the ju-
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risdiction of the Commission by representing the in-
terests of the energy customers— 
‘‘(A) on any matter before the Commission 
concerning rates or service of such a public util-
ity or natural gas company; or 
‘‘(B) as amicus curiae in— 
‘‘(i) a review in any United States 
court of a ruling by the Commission in 
such a matter; or 
‘‘(ii) a hearing or proceeding in any 
other Federal regulatory agency or com-
mission relating to such a matter; 
‘‘(2) support public participation in the siting 
and permitting of natural gas storage and distribu-
tion infrastructure under the jurisdiction of the 
Commission; 
‘‘(3) monitor and review energy customer com-
plaints and grievances on matters concerning rates 
or service of public utilities and natural gas compa-
nies under the jurisdiction of the Commission; 
‘‘(4) investigate independently, or within the 
context of a formal proceeding, the services provided 
by, the rates charged by, and the valuation of the 
properties of, public utilities and natural gas compa-
nies under the jurisdiction of the Commission; 
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‘‘(5) employ means, such as public dissemina-
tion of information, consultative services, and tech-
nical assistance, to ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, that the interests of energy customers 
are adequately represented in the course of any 
hearing or proceeding described in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(6) collect data concerning rates or service of 
public utilities and natural gas companies under the 
jurisdiction of the Commission; 
‘‘(7) prepare and issue reports and rec-
ommendations; and 
‘‘(8) take such other actions as the Director of 
the Office determines to be necessary to ensure just 
and reasonable rates for energy customers. 
‘‘(e) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS 
AND AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office 
may secure directly from a Federal department or 
agency such information as the Director considers to 
be necessary to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—On request 
of the Director under paragraph (1), the head of a 
Federal department or agency shall provide the in-
formation to the Office, to the extent practicable and 
authorized by law. 
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‘‘(f) PUBLIC AND CONSUMER ADVOCACY ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the 
Office shall establish an advisory committee, to be 
known as the ‘Public and Consumer Advocacy Advi-
sory Committee’— 
‘‘(A) to review rates, services, and dis-
putes; and 
‘‘(B) to make recommendations to the Di-
rector. 
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The Advisory Committee 
shall— 
‘‘(A) be composed of such members as the 
Director determines to be appropriate; but 
‘‘(B) include not fewer than— 
‘‘(i) 2 individuals representing State 
utility consumer advocates; and 
‘‘(ii) 1 individual representing a non-
governmental organization that represents 
consumers. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee 
shall meet at such frequency as is required to carry 
out the duties of the Advisory Committee. 
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‘‘(4) REPORTS.—The Director shall publish the 
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the 
public Internet website established for the Office. 
‘‘(5) DURATION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Advisory Committee shall con-
tinue in operation during the period for which the 
Office exists. 
‘‘(6) APPLICATION OF FACA.—Except as other-
wise specifically provided, the Advisory Committee 
shall be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(g) REPORTS AND GUIDANCE.—As the Director of 
the Office determines to be appropriate, the Office shall 
issue to the Commission and entities subject to regulation 
by the Commission reports and guidance— 
‘‘(1) regarding market practices; 
‘‘(2) proposing improvements in Commission 
monitoring of market practices; and 
‘‘(3) addressing potential improvements to in-
dustry and Commission practices. 
‘‘(h) OUTREACH.—The Office shall promote, through 
outreach, publications, and, as appropriate, direct commu-
nication with entities regulated by the Commission— 
‘‘(1) improved compliance with Commission 
rules and orders; and 
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‘‘(2) public participation in the siting and per-
mitting of natural gas storage and distribution infra-
structure under the jurisdiction of the Commission. 
‘‘(i) COMPENSATION TO ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS FOR 
INTERVENTION OR PARTICIPATION.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘eligible recipient’ means 
an individual or entity— 
‘‘(A) that intervenes or participates in any 
proceeding before the Commission; 
‘‘(B) the intervention or participation of 
which substantially contributed to the approval, 
in whole or in part, of a position advocated by 
the individual or entity in the proceeding; and 
‘‘(C) that is— 
‘‘(i) an individual; 
‘‘(ii) an energy customer; or 
‘‘(iii) a representative of the interests 
of energy customers. 
‘‘(2) COMPENSATION.—Subject to paragraph 
(3), the Commission, in accordance with regulations 
promulgated by the Commission, may provide to any 
eligible recipient compensation for reasonable attor-
ney fees, expert witness fees, and other costs of in-
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tervening or participating in the applicable pro-
ceeding before the Commission. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENT.—The Commission may 
only provide compensation under paragraph (2) if 
the Commission determines that— 
‘‘(A) the applicable proceeding is signifi-
cant; 
‘‘(B) the compensation is approved by the 
Advisory Committee; and 
‘‘(C) the intervention or participation by 
the eligible recipient in the proceeding without 
receipt of compensation constitutes a significant 
financial hardship to the eligible recipient. 
‘‘(j) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section re-
stricts or otherwise affects— 
‘‘(1) any right or obligation of an intervenor, 
participant, State utility consumer advocate, energy 
customer, or group of energy customers under any 
other applicable provision of law (including regula-
tions); or 
‘‘(2) the work of Commission trial staff in rep-
resenting the public interest and pursuing appro-
priate resolutions in contested matters before the 
Commission. 
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‘‘(k) FUNDING.—Of the amounts received by the 
Commission for fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year 
thereafter as a result of any fee imposed by the Commis-
sion, the Commission shall use such sums as are necessary 
to establish and provide for the operation of the Office 
under this section.’’. 
Æ 
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