Final answer:
The Office of Regulatory Affairs is part of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), which falls under the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is responsible for conducting inspections, investigations, and enforcing compliance with federal regulations related to health and safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Office of Regulatory Affairs is a part of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is organized into five regions, which have 20 districts aligned with the federal court system, and includes several regulatory laboratories for analyzing samples including food, drugs, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting devices. As the "eyes and ears" of the FDA, the Office of Regulatory Affairs employs Consumer Safety Officers to conduct fieldwork such as inspections, investigations, and document reviews for various regulated products.
Regulatory agencies like the FDA, OSHA, and EPA operate independently and report directly to Congress for oversight and funding. They enforce specific congressional laws and have significant law enforcement powers to ensure compliance with these regulations.