B-124552, AUG 15, 1955
Highlights
THAT STATUTE IS AS FOLLOWS: "THE GOVERNOR OF THE CANAL ZONE AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY. OF TRAVEL BY UNITED STATES OWNED AND OPERATED VESSELS RATHER THAN A REDUCED FARE RATE WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR SUCH EMPLOYEES WHEN TRAVELING ON THEIR OWN ACCOUNT.". OUR AUDIT COVERING THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY AND THE CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1955 WAS STARTED ON OR ABOUT JULY 1. WE ESTIMATE THAT IT WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THE AVERAGE COST FIGURE FOR TRANSPORTING A PASSENGER ON THE PANAMA LINE TO BE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF THE 1955 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THAT AUDIT.
B-124552, AUG 15, 1955
PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE
HONORABLE J. S. SEYBOLD, PRESIDENT, PANAMA CANAL COMPANY:
ON JULY 1, 1955, THE SECRETARY OF THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY REQUESTED OUR ADVICE REGARDING THE ACTUAL COST FIGURE TO BE USED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1956 IN MAKING THE COMPUTATIONS REQUIRED BY SECTION 205 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATION ACT, 1956, APPROVED JUNE 30, 1955, 69 STAT. 236. THAT STATUTE IS AS FOLLOWS:
"THE GOVERNOR OF THE CANAL ZONE AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY, IN COMPUTING ALLOWANCES FOR THE COST OF TRAVEL ON HOME LEAVE FOR PERSONS WHO ELECT AT THEIR EXPENSE TO TAKE OTHER THAN THE LOWEST FIRST- CLASS TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES, SHALL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS THE COST TO THE UNITED STATES THE ACTUAL COST, AS COMPUTED BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, OF TRAVEL BY UNITED STATES OWNED AND OPERATED VESSELS RATHER THAN A REDUCED FARE RATE WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR SUCH EMPLOYEES WHEN TRAVELING ON THEIR OWN ACCOUNT."
OUR AUDIT COVERING THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY AND THE CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1955 WAS STARTED ON OR ABOUT JULY 1, 1955, AND WE ESTIMATE THAT IT WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. HENCE, THE AVERAGE COST FIGURE FOR TRANSPORTING A PASSENGER ON THE PANAMA LINE TO BE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF THE 1955 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THAT AUDIT. ACCORDINGLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS YOU MAY BE FURNISHED A NEW COST FIGURE BY OUR OFFICE, YOUR PRESENT PRACTICE OF USING THE $167 FIGURE - SHOWN IN OUR REPORT OF THE AUDIT OF THE PANAMA CANAL COMPANY AND THE CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1954 - MAY, FOR PURPOSES OF THE COMPUTATIONS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 205, BE CONTINUED.