The Federal Trade Commission is urging Congress to reinstate the agency’s authority to seek compensation for defrauded consumers and to give the FTC independent authority to seek civil penalties rather than consulting with the Department of Justice.

The FTC’s call came in a report the agency issued Wednesday to Congress on the agency’s cooperation with state attorneys general in trying to protect consumers from fraud and deceptive business practices. In the report, the agency recommended legislation it said would enhance cooperation between the FTC and the attorneys general.