[Claim for Loss on Currency Exchange as an Overseas Travel Expense]

An authorized certifying officer of the Department of Energy (DOE) requested a decision as to whether a DOE employee should have been reimbursed for currency exchange losses he incurred when he purchased foreign currency and travelers checks incident to official travel. The employee claimed that the loss should have been reimbursable since it was incident and necessary to his temporary duty overseas. GAO held that generally the risk of incurring an exchange loss while on temporary duty in a foreign country lies with the employee. GAO also held that their is no specific statute or regulation authorizing reimbursement for currency exchange losses. Accordingly, the claim for travel expenses was not approved.