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B-138062, JAN 2, 1959

B-138062 Jan 02, 1959
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WHICH WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY SUSPENDED ON HIS ORIGINAL TRAVEL VOUCHER. LARSON IS THE AGRICULTURAL ATTACHE FOR SWEDEN AND FINLAND WITH HEADQUARTERS IN STOCKHOLM. AN OFFICIAL TRIP THROUGH FINLAND BY CAR WAS PLANNED FOR JUNE 1958 TO MAKE A SPRING CROP SURVEY. LARSON WAS REQUIRED TO BE IN HELSINKI ON JUNE 10. AS HIS CAR WAS NEEDED FOR THE TRAVEL THROUGH FINLAND. PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART AS FOLLOWS: "IN CARRYING OUT THE DUTIES OF THE AGRICULTURAL ATTACHE AUTHORIZATION IS GIVEN TO INCUR TRAVEL AND OTHER EXPENSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. STOCKHOLM SWEDEN TO POINTS WITHIN SWEDEN AND FINLAND PER DIEM ALLOWANCES SHALL NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM PRESCRIBED BY STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS FOR SUCH AREAS. (2) TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE IS AUTHORIZED AT NOT MORE THAN 10[ PER MILE FROM OFFICIAL STATION.

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B-138062, JAN 2, 1959

PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE

MR. M. M. JONES:

YOUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 28, 1958, REQUESTS OUR DECISION WHETHER THE ENCLOSED RECLAIM VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF HAROLD C. LARSON MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. THE RECLAIM VOUCHER IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $24.56, WHICH WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY SUSPENDED ON HIS ORIGINAL TRAVEL VOUCHER, REPRESENTS THE COST OF SHIPPING MR. LARSON'S AUTOMOBILE FROM STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, TO HELSINKI, FINALAND, ON JUNE 11, 1958.

YOU SAY MR. LARSON IS THE AGRICULTURAL ATTACHE FOR SWEDEN AND FINLAND WITH HEADQUARTERS IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. AN OFFICIAL TRIP THROUGH FINLAND BY CAR WAS PLANNED FOR JUNE 1958 TO MAKE A SPRING CROP SURVEY. MR. LARSON WAS REQUIRED TO BE IN HELSINKI ON JUNE 10, 1958, FOR AN EMBASSY RECEPTION; HOWEVER, SINCE CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENTED HIS LEAVING STOCKHOLM BY BOAT ON JUNE 9, HE TRAVELED BY AIR TO HELSINKI ON JUNE 10. AS HIS CAR WAS NEEDED FOR THE TRAVEL THROUGH FINLAND, HE SHIPPED IT BY FREIGHT FROM STOCKHOLM TO HELSINKI. HE HAS BEEN PAID ON HIS ORIGINAL TRAVEL VOUCHER FOR 1,867 MILES AT 10 CENTS PER MILE, OR $186.70.

TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION NO. AA-46 ISSUED TO MR. LARSON ON JULY 1, 1957, PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART AS FOLLOWS:

"IN CARRYING OUT THE DUTIES OF THE AGRICULTURAL ATTACHE AUTHORIZATION IS GIVEN TO INCUR TRAVEL AND OTHER EXPENSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW, DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS, AND STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 1957 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1958 AS FOLLOWS:

(1) TRAVEL FROM THE OFFICIAL STATION, STOCKHOLM SWEDEN TO POINTS WITHIN SWEDEN AND FINLAND PER DIEM ALLOWANCES SHALL NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM PRESCRIBED BY STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS FOR SUCH AREAS.

(2) TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE IS AUTHORIZED AT NOT MORE THAN 10[ PER MILE FROM OFFICIAL STATION, EXCEPT THAT WHERE TRANSPORTATION BY COMMON CARRIER FACILITIES IS AVAILABLE, REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO THE COST BY COMMON CARRIER."

MR. LARSON WAS ASSIGNED TO SERVICE ABROAD UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF TITLE VI OF THE ACT OF AUGUST 28, 1954, 68 STAT. 908. EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10624, JULY 28, 1955, MAKES TITLE XX OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE ACT OF 1946 APPLICABLE TO PERSONNEL ASSIGNED ABROAD UNDER TITLE VI OF THE 1954 ACT. SECTION 913 OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE ACT OF 1946, 60 STAT. 1027, AUTHORIZES THE TRANSPORTATION OF A FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER'S PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WHEN SUCH TRANSPORTATION IS INCIDENT TO PROVISIONS OF LAW AUTHORIZING THE TRANSPORTATION OF AN OFFICER'S HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL EFFECTS. WE HAVE NOT FOUND ANY SPECIFIC OR GENERAL PROVISION OF LAW OR ANY PROVISIONS IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE TRAVEL REGULATIONS OR THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS UNDER WHICH THE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR AN EMPLOYEE'S PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES SIMILAR TO THOSE COVERED BY THE RECLAIM VOUCHER MAY BE ALLOWED. THEREFORE, SINCE MR. LARSON WAS AUTHORIZED AND PAID MILEAGE, IN LIEU OF PAYMENT ON AN ACTUAL EXPENSE BASIS, FOR THE USE OF HIS AUTOMOBILE, THERE IS NO STATUTORY AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH THE FREIGHT CHARGES FOR SHIPPING HIS AUTOMOBILE FROM STOCKHOLM TO HELSINKI MAY BE ALLOWED. SEE OUR DECISIONS B -112971, APRIL 18, 1955, AND 34 COMP. GEN. 530, WHICH DISALLOWED THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILES ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL BY COMMERCIAL VESSEL.

THEREFORE, THE RECLAIM VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.

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