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Federal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic issued a report, following seven months of agency self-assessment, that considers basic questions and future directions as the Commission approaches its 100-year anniversary in 2014.

The report concludes, “The progress of the Federal Trade Commission in its modern era has built heavily upon the willingness of its people to assess their work critically and explore possibilities for improvement. Critical self-study and external consultations not only have helped identify paths to achieving greatness, but also have renewed the institution’s commitment to fulfill the destiny that Congress in 1914 wished it to achieve.” The report, the latest element of that tradition, seeks to ingrain in the agency a habit of periodic self-assessment to illuminate the way to future improvements.