[Entitlement of Customs Service Employee to Reimbursement of Real Estate Expenses]

The U.S. Customs Service requested a decision concerning whether it could reimburse a transferred employee for real estate expenses he incurred in selling a residence at his old duty station. GAO determined that Customs could not pay the employee's real estate expenses since his new duty station was located outside the United States and statutory law required that both duty stations be located within the United States as a condition for reimbursement. Accordingly, the claim was denied.