B-166894, MAY 27, 1969
Highlights
YOUR HEADQUARTERS WAS ANNAPOLIS. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS PROVIDE ONLY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OF TRAVELERS CHECKS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. SIMILAR PROVISIONS ARE CONTAINED IN THE JTR. THE COST OF TRAVELERS CHECKS PURCHASED IN CONNECTION WITH OFFICIAL TRAVEL WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SPECIFIED ITEMS. WHEREIN REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF TRAVELERS CHECKS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD WAS DENIED. THE AFOREMENTIONED REGULATIONS CONSISTENTLY HAVE BEEN HELD TO HAVE THE FULL FORCE AND EFFECT OF LAW AND. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO IMPLY THAT YOU WERE REQUIRED TO REFUND THIS AMOUNT TO THE GOVERNMENT.
B-166894, MAY 27, 1969
TO MR. LEONARD L. MURRAY:
THIS REFERS TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 21, 1969, REQUESTING RECONSIDERATION OF OUR OFFICE SETTLEMENT OF APRIL 11, 1969, WHICH DISALLOWED THE COST OF TRAVELERS CHECKS PURCHASED INCIDENT TO THE PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AS A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY.
YOUR HEADQUARTERS WAS ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, AND YOU PERFORMED TEMPORARY DUTY AT KEY WEST, FLORIDA. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS PROVIDE ONLY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OF TRAVELERS CHECKS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.
SECTION 10.4C OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COSTS OF TRAVELERS CHECKS PURCHASED IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. SIMILAR PROVISIONS ARE CONTAINED IN THE JTR, PARAGRAPH C9009-13. IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE TRAVEL EXPENSES UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE, THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS SET FORTH WITH PARTICULARITY THE REIMBURSABLE ITEMS. THE COST OF TRAVELERS CHECKS PURCHASED IN CONNECTION WITH OFFICIAL TRAVEL WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SPECIFIED ITEMS. SEE 23 COMP. GEN. 212, WHEREIN REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF TRAVELERS CHECKS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD WAS DENIED. SUBSEQUENTLY, AS INDICATED ABOVE, THE TRAVEL REGULATIONS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH EXPENSE BUT LIMITED IT TO OVERSEAS TRAVEL. THE AFOREMENTIONED REGULATIONS CONSISTENTLY HAVE BEEN HELD TO HAVE THE FULL FORCE AND EFFECT OF LAW AND, THEREFORE, MAY NOT BE ENLARGED BY CONSTRUCTION. 27 COMP. GEN. 382.
CONCERNING THAT PART OF OUR SETTLEMENT FOR PER DIEM FROM NOVEMBER 9, 1968, IN THE AMOUNT OF $12, IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO IMPLY THAT YOU WERE REQUIRED TO REFUND THIS AMOUNT TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE REQUESTED THAT YOU NOTIFY OUR OFFICE IN THE EVENT YOU HAD NOT RECEIVED THE CHECK. SINCE YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 21, 1969, INDICATES THE CHECK COVERING THAT ITEM NOW HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY YOU, NO FURTHER ACTION CONCERNING THAT PART OF YOUR CLAIM IS REQUIRED.
ACCORDINGLY, THE PREVIOUS ACTION OF DISALLOWING YOUR CLAIM TAKEN IN OUR SETTLEMENT OF APRIL 11, 1969, IS SUSTAINED.