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B-162289, MAR. 20, 1968

B-162289 Mar 20, 1968
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THIS LETTER WAS IN RESPONSE TO OUR DECISION B-162289. WAS MADE WITHOUT SECURING AN AGREEMENT IN WRITING THAT IT WOULD BE REPAID THE GOVERNMENT BY THE CONCESSIONAIRE. 342 WAS SPENT WITHOUT REPROGRAMMING. HE ALSO INDICATES THAT ONLY MAJOR FUND ADJUSTMENTS BETWEEN PROJECTS WERE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS AND THAT IT WAS NOT THE PRACTICE TO CLEAR ALL CHANGES DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE MOUNT RUSHMORE WORK IN QUESTION WAS AT ITS PEAK. WE ARE PLEASED TO NOTE THAT COPIES OF THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S LETTER OF MARCH 7. WILL BE FURNISHED TO THE CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS. WHETHER THIS REPROGRAMMING WOULD HAVE BEEN OF INTEREST TO THOSE COMMITTEES IS A MATTER FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.

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B-162289, MAR. 20, 1968

TO MR. SECRETARY:

ON MARCH 7, 1968, THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY WROTE TO OUR OFFICE CONCERNING EXCESS FUNDING WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION AT THE MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, SOUTH DAKOTA. THIS LETTER WAS IN RESPONSE TO OUR DECISION B-162289, DECEMBER 27, 1967, IN WHICH WE ADVISED YOU OF THE EXTENT OF THE MOUNT RUSHMORE MEMORIAL SOCIETY'S COMMITMENT TO REPAY APPROPRIATIONS EXPENDED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCESSION AND RELATED FACILITIES AT THE MEMORIAL UNDER CONCESSION CONTRACT NO. 14-10-0100 406 DATED FEBRUARY 18, 1955.

IN THAT DECISION, CITING FIGURES AVAILABLE TO US AT THAT TIME, WE NOTED THAT SOME $503,030 IN EXCESS OF THE SPECIFIC AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR THIS PROJECT APPARENTLY HAD BEEN SPENT BY THE PARK SERVICE WITHOUT PRIOR REPROGRAMMING APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. THIS EXCESS EXPENDITURE, ALTHOUGH NOT ILLEGAL, WAS MADE WITHOUT SECURING AN AGREEMENT IN WRITING THAT IT WOULD BE REPAID THE GOVERNMENT BY THE CONCESSIONAIRE. THESE CONSIDERATIONS PROMPTED OUR FORWARDING COPIES OF OUR DECISION TO THE CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS.

IN HIS LETTER OF MARCH 7, 1968, THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY STATES THAT A CAREFUL ANALYSIS BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OF THE PROGRAMMING AND FINANCIAL RECORDS OF THE MOUNT RUSHMORE CONSTRUCTION SHOW THAT ONLY $302,342 WAS SPENT WITHOUT REPROGRAMMING. HE ALSO INDICATES THAT ONLY MAJOR FUND ADJUSTMENTS BETWEEN PROJECTS WERE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS AND THAT IT WAS NOT THE PRACTICE TO CLEAR ALL CHANGES DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE MOUNT RUSHMORE WORK IN QUESTION WAS AT ITS PEAK.

WE ARE PLEASED TO NOTE THAT COPIES OF THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S LETTER OF MARCH 7, 1968, WILL BE FURNISHED TO THE CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS. WHETHER THIS REPROGRAMMING WOULD HAVE BEEN OF INTEREST TO THOSE COMMITTEES IS A MATTER FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.

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