Transfer of funds to Office of General Counsel and Department of Agriculture for legal services

This letter is in response to an inquiry regarding whether the Forest Service may transfer funds to the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Department of Agriculture (USDA) to cover the salaries and expenses of OGC attorneys dedicated to work on Forest Service issues.

GAO does not object to past transfers made by the Forest Service to OGC; however, the Forest Service and OGC should not engage in such transfers in the future in the absence of clear intention expressed by the Congress permitting such transfer.