[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 209 (Monday, October 28, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55577-55578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27398]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Parts 301-3, 301-5, 301-6, 301-8, 301-10, and 301-11

[FTR Amendment 50]
RIN 3090-AF96


Federal Travel Regulation; Streamlining Reimbursement Claim 
Review and Elimination of Requirement for Receipts, Regardless of 
Amount, for Certain Travel Expense Items

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to 
streamline the review of travel reimbursement claims and to eliminate 
the requirement for a receipt, regardless of amount, for certain travel 
expense items. This document will ease the processing of reimbursement 
claims, thereby reducing agency administrative costs.

DATES: This final rule is effective October 28, 1996. This final rule 
applies for travel (including travel incident to a change of official 
station) performed on or after October 28, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Clauson, Travel and 
Transportation Management Policy Division (MTT), Washington, DC 20405, 
telephone 202-501-0299.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This amendment was developed by the Joint 
Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) Travel Reinvention 
Task Force to streamline the processing of travel reimbursement claims. 
The General Services Administration (GSA), after review of the JFMIP 
recommendations, has determined that such changes are appropriate and 
is implementing the changes through this amendment. The amendment 
allows agencies to shift responsibility for travel voucher review from 
the voucher examiner to the travel authorizing/approving official or 
his/her designee (e.g., supervisor), and eliminates the requirement to 
provide receipts, regardless of amount, for certain travel expense 
items.

Receipt Requirements Removed

    On December 6, 1995, GSA published in the Federal Register (60 FR 
62332) FTR Amendment 45 which raised from $25 to $75 the maximum travel 
expense amount which may be claimed without requirement for a 
supporting receipt. The FTR, however, has continued to contain a list 
of 18 travel expense items which require a receipt regardless of 
amount. These items include excess baggage; baggage transfer and 
checking charges; clerical assistance; fees relating to travel outside 
the continental United States; hire of a special conveyance; 
miscellaneous expenses allowable under FTR Sec. 301-9.1(e); operating 
expenses of a privately owned conveyance; rental of rooms for official 
business; rental of typewriters; personal services, such as guides, 
interpreters, packers and drivers of vehicles; stenographic and typing 
services; freight or express shipments; steamer chairs, steamer 
cushions, and steamer rugs; storage of baggage or property; telegrams, 
cablegrams, and radiograms; long-distance telephone calls; copies of 
records; and cash payments for passenger transportation services. This 
amendment eliminates the requirement for a traveler to furnish a 
receipt, regardless of amount, for these items. The traveler will be 
required to furnish a receipt for these items only if the individual 
expense exceeds the $75 receipts threshold established in FTR Amendment 
45. Additionally, this amendment makes a change to FTR part 301-8, 
inadvertently omitted in FTR Amendment 45, to increase to $75 the 
maximum amount that may be claimed without a supporting receipt for a 
meal under the actual expense method of subsistence reimbursement.

Supervisory Responsibilities Expanded

    FTR Sec. 301-11.4, in effect prior to this amendment, provided for 
supervisory review of travel vouchers primarily to confirm that travel 
for which expenses were claimed was performed as authorized. Voucher 
examiners historically have been responsible for ensuring that vouchers 
are properly prepared according to pertinent regulations and agency 
procedures before being certified for payment.
    The JFMIP recommends placing this responsibility with the 
supervisor or other agency-designated official. Such individual should 
be closer to the employee both in proximity and in knowledge of the 
employee's need to perform official travel, and therefore better able 
to determine if the claimed expenses are reasonable and were necessary. 
This amendment will allow agencies to shift responsibility for thorough 
review of travel reimbursement claims from the voucher examiner to the 
travel authorizing/approving official or his/her designee (e.g., 
supervisor), as appropriate, so that the individual responsible for the 
travel budget also is responsible for ensuring that directed travel was 
performed as authorized and that travel dollars are spend wisely and 
properly.
    GSA has determined that this rule is not a significant regulatory 
action for the purposes of Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993. 
This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal Register 
for notice and comment. Therefore, the Regulatory Flexibility Act does 
not apply. This rule is also exempt from Congressional review 
prescribed under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates solely to agency 
management and personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 301-3, 301-5, 301-6, 301-8, 301-10, 
and 301-11

    Government employees, Travel, Travel allowances, Travel and 
transportation expenses.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 41 CFR parts 301-3, 301-5, 
301-6, 301-8, 301-10, and 301-11 are amended as follows:

PART 301-3--USE OF COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION

    1. The authority citation for part 301-3 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec. 301-3.4  [Amended]

    2. Section 301-3.4 is amended by adding after the phrase ``shall 
obtain a receipt'' where it appears in the second sentence of paragraph 
(b)(2)(i), the parenthetical phrase, ``(when required under Sec. 301-
11.3(c))''.

[[Page 55578]]

PART 301-5--BAGGAGE

    3. The authority citation for part 301-5 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec. 301-5.5  [Amended]

    4. Section 301-5.5 is amended by removing paragraph (c).

PART 301-6--COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

    5. The authority citation for part 301-6 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec. 301-6.6  [Amended]

    6. Section 301-6.6 is amended by adding after the phrase ``and a 
receipted copy'' where it appears in the last sentence of paragraph 
(b), the parenthetical phrase, ``(when required under Sec. 301-
11.3(c))''.

PART 301-8--REIMBURSEMENT OF ACTUAL SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES

    7. The authority citation for part 301-8 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec. 301-8.5  [Amended]

    8. Section 301-8.5 is amended by removing the amount ``$25'' in 
paragraph (a)(2), and by adding in its place, the amount ``$75''.

PART 301-10--SOURCES OF FUNDS

    9. Authority citation for part 301-10 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec. 301.10.2  [Amended]

    10. Section 301-10.2 is amended by removing and reserving paragraph 
(b)(3)(ii).

PART 301-11--CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT

    11. The authority citation for part 301-11 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.

    12. Section 301-11.3 is amended by revising paragraph (c) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 301-11.3  Travel vouchers and attachments.

* * * * *
    (c) Receipts required. Receipts are required for allowable cash 
expenditures in amounts in excess of $75. Lodging receipts are required 
as specified in Sec. 301-7.9(b) and Sec. 301-8.5(a) of this chapter. 
When receipts are not available, the expenditures shall be explained on 
the voucher.
* * * * *
    13. Section 301-11.4 is amended by revising the heading of 
paragraph (a), by revising paragraphs (b) and (c), and by adding 
paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec. 301-11.4   Submission and review of travel vouchers.

    (a) Submission procedures. * * *
    (b) Review to confirm travel was performed as authorized. The 
travel authorizing/approving official or his/her designee (e.g., 
supervisor) shall review the completed travel voucher to confirm that 
the travel for which expenses are being claimed was performed as 
authorized. The individual who performs the voucher review should have 
full knowledge of the employee's activities. Administrative approval of 
the voucher shall be in accordance with Sec. 301-11.6.
    (c) Administrative voucher review responsibilities. The travel 
authorizing/approving official or his/her designee (e.g., supervisor) 
shall ensure that the voucher is properly prepared according to 
pertinent regulations and agency procedures before it is certified for 
payment. This agency official shall review the claim to:
    (1) Ascertain accuracy of the amounts claimed;
    (2) Determine whether the types of expenses claimed are authorized 
and allowable expenses; and
    (3) Ensure that required receipts, statements, justifications, etc. 
are attached to the voucher in support of the claimed expenses.
    (d) Finance office responsibilities--(1) Accounting 
responsibilities. The agency office which has accounting 
responsibilities pertaining to the payment of travel and transportation 
reimbursement claims shall carry out its responsibilities in accordance 
with procedures prescribed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in 
the GAO Policy and Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal Agencies, 
Title 7, Fiscal Procedures.\1\ Additionally, agencies shall establish 
procedures for collecting unused passenger tickets and transportation 
refund applications and for initiating the refund process in accordance 
with 41 CFR 101-41.209 and 101-41.210 (see Sec. 301-3.5).
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    \1\ The GAO Policy and Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal 
Agencies is available from the Distribution Section, Room 1100, U.S. 
General Accounting Office, 710 4th Street, NW (corner of 
4th and G Streets), Washington, DC 20548.
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    (2) Certifying officer responsibilities. The certifying officer 
assumes ultimate responsibility under 31 U.S.C. 3528 for the validity 
of the voucher, irrespective of review of the voucher under paragraph 
(b) or (c) of this section.


Sec. 301-11.5   [Amended]

    14. Section 301-11.5 is amended by adding after the phrase 
``furnishing pertinent receipts'' where it appears in the first 
sentence of paragraph (c)(3), the parenthetical phrase, ``(when 
required under Sec. 301-11.3(c))''.

    Dated: October 21, 1996.
David J. Barram,
Acting Administrator of General Services.
[FR Doc. 96-27398 Filed 10-25-96; 8:45 am]
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