Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 3.djvu/606

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116 STAT. 2198 PUBLIC LAW 107-296—NOV. 25, 2002 (A) shall identify the recommendations the Office of the Ombudsman has made on improving services and responsiveness of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services; (B) shall contain a summary of the most pervasive and serious problems encountered by individuals and employers, including a description of the nature of such problems; (C) shall contain an inventory of the items described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) for which action has been taken and the result of such action; (D) shall contain an inventory of the items described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) for which action remains to be completed and the period during which each item has remained on such inventory; (E) shall contain an inventory of the items described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) for which no action has been taken, the period during which each item has remained on such inventory, the reasons for the inaction, and shall identify any official of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services who is responsible for such inaction; (F) shall contain recommendations for such administrative action as may be appropriate to resolve problems encountered by individuals and employers, including problems created by excessive backlogs in the adjudication and processing of immigration benefit petitions and applications; and (G) shall include such other information as the Ombudsman may deem advisable. (2) REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED DIRECTLY.— Each report required under this subsection shall be provided directly to the committees described in paragraph (1) without any prior comment or amendment from the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any other officer or employee of the Department or the Office of Management and Budget. (d) OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.— The Ombudsman— (1) shall monitor the coverage and geographic allocation of local offices of the Ombudsman; (2) shall develop guidance to be distributed to all officers and employees of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services outlining the criteria for referral of inquiries to local offices of the Ombudsman; (3) shall ensure that the local telephone number for each local office of the Ombudsman is published and available to individuals and employers served by the office; and (4) shall meet regularly with the Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to identify serious service problems and to present recommendations for such administrative action as may be appropriate to resolve problems encountered by individuals and employers. (e) PERSONNEL ACTIONS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Ombudsman shall have the responsibility and authority— (A) to appoint local ombudsmen and make available at least 1 such ombudsman for each State; and