Issues Raised by Northern Mariana Islands Commission on Federal Laws

Several questions were asked by the Northern Mariana Islands Commission on Federal Laws which explore its relationship to the executive branch and, in particular, to the Department of the Interior. The issues raised by the Commission relate to the applicability of restrictions on hiring, travel, and equipment purchases which were administratively imposed on the executive branch. Although the Commission receives its appropriations from the Interior, it is an independent entity in the legislative branch agency and not an executive branch agency. As a legislative branch agency, any hiring, travel, and equipment procurement freezes which may be administratively placed on executive branch agencies do not apply to the Commission. GAO believes that in making any future determinations of the Commission's authorities to carry out its duties, it should be treated the same as other independent agencies in the legislative branch. Therefore, the Commission's executive director, if authorized by the Commission, may sign any purchase orders and travel authorizations. In addition, the Commission asked whether it may rent privately-owned office space under the control of the General Services Administration (GSA) when it becomes available in July 1981. As an entity in the legislative branch, funded entirely from appropriations, the Commission is subject to substantially the same authorities and restrictions about rental of space as most Federal agencies and instrumentalities. The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act applies to all three branches of the Government. Without specific authority to rent space in its own name or that of the United States, GAO concluded that the Commission should make arrangements for office space through GSA, unless the GSA grants it a delegation of authority.