Comments on Proposed Legislation to Provide a Uniform System of Reimbursement for and Reporting of Expenses Incurred by Senators and Employees of the Senate While Traveling Outside the United States

Congress requested GAO's advice and comments on S. 738, 95th Congress, 1st Session, a bill "To provide a uniform system of reimbursement for and reporting of expenses incurred by Senators and employees of the Senate while traveling outside the United States, and for other purposes."

In the Executive branch of the Government, however, allowable travel expenses are those which are "actual and necessary" (5 U.S.C. 5706). Both military and civilian travelers receive per diem for foreign travel at rates established to reflect actual living costs at the location and time visited. The maximum rates vary from $12 per day to $172 per day. The rates for civilian travelers are established by the Department of State (see Section 925, Standardized Regulations, Government Civilians, Foreign Areas and PD Supplement 151, December 1976, issued by the Department of State) and for uniformed services travelers by the Department of Defense (see JTR M4253 and Appendix A to JTR, Volume 1, Joint Travel Regulations for Members of the Uniformed Services).

Although civilian travelers generally receive the maximum rates set forth in the Standardized Regulations, members of the uniformed services receive a per diem allowance on a "lodgings plus" basis not to exceed the set amounts (see JTR M4253, supra). Since this method of per diem determination more closely results in reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses we suggest the Committee may wish to consider a similar system for members and employees of the Senate.