B-155690, JAN. 21, 1965, 44 COMP. GEN. 416
Highlights
TRAVEL EXPENSES - MILITARY PERSONNEL -TRAVELERS CHECKS - REIMBURSEMENT THE COST OF PURCHASING TRAVELERS CHECKS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES ON AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF THE MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS A VALID TRAVEL EXPENSE AND THE SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS MAY ISSUE REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT TO THE MEMBERS FOR THE COST OF SUCH TRAVELERS CHECKS. 1965: FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF NOVEMBER 10. THE REQUEST WAS ASSIGNED CONTROL NO. 64-37 BY THE PER DIEM. ON THE BASIS THAT THERE IS NO APPARENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE DESIRABILITY OF PROVIDING SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES THE UNDER SECRETARY SUGGESTS THAT THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS MAY BE AMENDED BY SPECIFICALLY PROVIDING THEREIN AN ENTITLEMENT TO THE COSTS OF TRAVELER'S CHECKS.
B-155690, JAN. 21, 1965, 44 COMP. GEN. 416
TRAVEL EXPENSES - MILITARY PERSONNEL -TRAVELERS CHECKS - REIMBURSEMENT THE COST OF PURCHASING TRAVELERS CHECKS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES ON AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF THE MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS A VALID TRAVEL EXPENSE AND THE SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS MAY ISSUE REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT TO THE MEMBERS FOR THE COST OF SUCH TRAVELERS CHECKS.
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY, JANUARY 21, 1965:
FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF NOVEMBER 10, 1964, FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY OF THE ARMY REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS MAY BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES OF COSTS INCURRED IN PURCHASING TRAVELER'S CHECKS OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAFELY TRANSPORTING PERSONAL FUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS TO, FROM, OR BETWEEN AREAS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. THE REQUEST WAS ASSIGNED CONTROL NO. 64-37 BY THE PER DIEM, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE.
THE UNDER SECRETARY STATES THAT STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS WELL AS THE CIVILIAN REGULATIONS OF THE SEVERAL SERVICES PROVIDE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COSTS INCURRED BY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN PURCHASING TRAVELER'S CHECKS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAFELY TRANSPORTING PERSONAL FUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH OFFICIAL TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. ON THE BASIS THAT THERE IS NO APPARENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE DESIRABILITY OF PROVIDING SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES THE UNDER SECRETARY SUGGESTS THAT THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS MAY BE AMENDED BY SPECIFICALLY PROVIDING THEREIN AN ENTITLEMENT TO THE COSTS OF TRAVELER'S CHECKS, OR OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS, PURCHASED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
TO PROVIDE THIS ENTITLEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE MEMBER'S OWN TRAVEL IT IS PROPOSED TO ADD A NEW PARAGRAPH, AS FOLLOWS:
4412TRAVELER'S CHECKS
COSTS OF TRAVELER'S CHECKS OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS PURCHASED BY THE MEMBER FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS INCIDENT TO TEMPORARY DUTY OR PERMANENT CHANGE-OF-STATION TRAVEL TO, FROM, OR BETWEEN STATIONS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ARE REIMBURSABLE, PROVIDED THE TOTAL VALUE OF SUCH INSTRUMENTS IS NOT LESS THAN $100,000, NOR MORE THAN THE PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES ADMINISTRATIVELY ESTIMATED FOR THE ORDERED TRAVEL.
TO PROVIDE THE ENTITLEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL OF DEPENDENTS IT IS PROPOSED TO REVISE PARAGRAPH 7002 BY ADDING A NEW SUBPARAGRAPH 4, AS FOLLOWS:
4. TRAVELER'S CHECKS. COSTS OF TRAVELER'S CHECKS OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS PURCHASED FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONAL FUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF DEPENDENTS TO, FROM, OR BETWEEN AREAS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ARE REIMBURSABLE, PROVIDED THAT THE TOTAL VALUE OF SUCH INSTRUMENTS IS NOT LESS THAN $100.00, NOR MORE THAN THE ANTICIPATED TRAVEL EXPENSES OF THE AUTHORIZED TRAVEL.
IN 23 COMP. GEN. 212, IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT AN EXPENSE INCURRED FOR TRAVELER'S CHECKS OR OTHER CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS WAS NECESSARY FOR CIVILIAN COMMERCIAL TRAVEL ABROAD. THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS SUBSEQUENTLY WERE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF SUCH ITEMS ON THE BASIS OF BEING NECESSARY TRAVEL EXPENSES. THE CURRENT PROVISION IS CONTAINED IN SECTION 10.4C OF THOSE REGULATIONS.
THE PERTINENT STATUTE, 37 U.S.C. 404 (A) AND (D), PROVIDES THAT UNDER REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARIES CONCERNED A MEMBER OF A UNIFORMED SERVICE IS ENTITLED TO TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL ON THE BASIS OF TRANSPORTATION IN KIND, REIMBURSEMENT THEREFOR, OR A MONETARY ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF COST OF TRANSPORTATION WITH 7 CENTS PER MILE SET AS THE MAXIMUM RATE FOR SUCH ALLOWANCE. SECTION 406 (A) AND (C), TITLE 37, UNITED STATES CODE, PROVIDES THAT UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS AND FOR SUCH RANKS, GRADES AND RATINGS, AND TO AND FROM SUCH LOCATIONS AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARIES CONCERNED, A MEMBER OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICE WHEN ORDERED TO MAKE A CHANGE OF PERMANENT STATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO TRANSPORTATION IN KIND FOR DEPENDENTS, TO REIMBURSEMENT THEREFOR, OR TO A MONETARY ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF SUCH TRANSPORTATION IN KIND AT A RATE NOT IN EXCESS OF THE RATE PRESCRIBED IN SECTION 404 (D).
AS INDICATED ABOVE IT LONG HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED THAT THE COST OF TRAVELER'S CHECKS IS A VALID TRAVEL EXPENSE FOR TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND IT IS WITHIN THE POWER AND DISCRETION OF THE SECRETARIES TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT TO MEMBERS FOR THE COST OF SUCH EXPENSES SHOULD THEY DEEM IT ADVISABLE AND NECESSARY TO DO SO. ACCORDINGLY, THE QUESTION IS ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SEE 41 COMP. GEN. 712.