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Federal Parent Locator Service.A federal program created to help enforce child-support obligations. • In an effort to increase the collection of child support, Congress authorized the use of all information contained in the various federal databases to help locate absent, delinquent child-support obligors. Although initially information could be released only if the family was receiving…

Federal National Mortgage Association.A privately owned and managed corporation chartered by the U.S. government that provides a secondary mortgage market for the purchase and sale of mortgages guaranteed by the Veterans Administration and those insured under the Federal Housing Administration. — Abbr. FNMA. — Also termed Fannie Mae. [Cases: United States 53(9).][Blacks Law 8th]

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.A unit in the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for regulating the operation of large trucks and buses. — Abbr. FMCSA.[Blacks Law 8th]

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.An independent five-member commission that (1) monitors compliance with occupational safety and health standards in the nation’s surface and underground coal, metal, and nonmetal mines, and (2) adjudicates disputes that arise under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977. • It was established in 1977.30 USCA…

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.An independent federal agency that tries to prevent the interruption of commerce resulting from labor–management disputes by helping the parties settle the disputes through mediation and conciliation. • The Service can intervene on its own authority or at the request of a party to the dispute. It also helps employers and…

Federal Maritime Lien Act.A statute that confers an automatic lien on anyone who provides a vessel with any of a wide range of goods and services. 46 USCA §§ 31341–31343. — Abbr .FMLA. [Blacks Law 8th]

Federal Maritime Commission.An independent federal agency that regulates the waterborne foreign and domestic commerce of the United States by (1) ensuring that U.S. international trade is open to all countries on fair and equitable terms, (2) guarding against unauthorized monopolies in U.S. waterborne commerce, and (3) ensuring that financial responsibility is maintained to clean up…

federal magistrate.UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE.[Blacks Law 8th]

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.An interagency law-enforcement training facility responsible for serving over 70 law-enforcement organizations in the federal government. • The Center was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. — Abbr. FLETC.[Blacks Law 8th]

federal law.The body of law consisting of the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes and regulations, U.S. treaties, and federal common law. Cf. STATE LAW .[Blacks Law 8th]