[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35110-35111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14890]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Part 302-16

[FTR Amendment 2011-02; FTR Case 2011-306; Docket Number 2011-0013, 
Sequence 1]
RIN 3090-AJ17


Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Miscellaneous Expense Allowance 
(MEA)

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by 
increasing the set lump-sum rate amount to be paid for the 
miscellaneous expenses allowance (MEA), when the employee chooses not 
to provide documentation of miscellaneous expenses.

DATES: Effective date: This final rule is effective on July 18, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 
1275 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20417, (202) 501-4755, for 
information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For 
clarification of content, contact Rick Miller, Office of Governmentwide 
Policy, Travel Management Policy, at (202) 501-3822 or e-mail at 
[email protected]. Please cite FTR Amendment 2011-02; FTR case 
2011-306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5738, the Administrator of General Services is 
authorized to prescribe regulations necessary to implement laws 
regarding Federal employees when assigned a temporary change of station 
or when otherwise officially relocated. The overall implementing 
authority is the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) (41 CFR Chapters 300-
304).
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5724a(f), an employee who is transferred in 
the interest of the Government is entitled to reimbursement for certain 
miscellaneous expenses. The purpose of the miscellaneous expense 
allowance (MEA) is to defray various contingent costs associated with 
discontinuing a residence at one location and establishing a residence 
at a new location. The costs covered include items such as fees for 
disconnecting and connecting appliances, cutting and fitting rugs, 
draperies, and curtains moved from one residence to another, utility 
fees or deposits that are not offset by eventual refunds, forfeiture of 
medical, dental, and other non-transferrable contracts, and the cost of 
automobile registration and driver's licenses.
    The FTR provides that a MEA may be paid in one of two alternative 
amounts. A transferring employee without an immediate family is 
automatically entitled to a lump-sum of one week's basic gross pay, up 
to $500, and an employee with an immediate family is entitled to a 
lump-sum of two weeks' basic gross pay, up to $1000. If additional 
amounts are justified, with supporting documentation, MEA may be 
reimbursed up to a maximum of one or two weeks basic pay depending on 
whether or not the employee has an immediate family, not to exceed the 
maximum rate payable for a position at GS-13, Step 10, of the General 
Schedule provided in 5 U.S.C. 5332. Since the establishment of MEA in 
1966, the lump-sum has only been increased twice. The last increase was 
on February 19, 2002.
    This final rule will revise section 302-16.102 of the FTR by 
increasing the lump sums from $500 to $650 for employees with no 
immediate family and from $1000 to $1300, for employees who have an 
immediate family. These figures are based upon an increase in the 
Consumer Price Index.
    This final rule also makes one clerical correction to section 302-
16.104.

B. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive 
Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and 
benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting 
flexibility. This is not a significant regulatory action and, 
therefore, was not subject to review

[[Page 35111]]

under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and 
Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule under 5 
U.S.C. 804.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule will not have significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. This final rule is 
also exempt from Regulatory Flexibility Act per 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2), 
because it applies to agency management or personnel. However, this 
final rule is being published to provide transparency in the 
promulgation of Federal policies.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
requirements, or the collection of information from offerors, 
contractors, or members of the public that require the approval of the 
Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final 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 Part 302-16

    Government employees, Relocation, Travel, and Transportation 
expenses.

    Dated: May 5, 2011.
Martha Johnson,
Administrator of General Services.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
5721-5738, 41 CFR part 302-16 is amended to read as follows:

PART 302-16--ALLOWANCE FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

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1. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 302-16 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5738; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); E.O. 11609, 36 FR 
13747; 3 CFR 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586.


Sec.  302-16.102  [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  302-16.102 by--
0
a. Removing ``$500'' in paragraph (a) and adding ``$650'' in its place.
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b. Removing ``$1,000'' in paragraph (b) and adding ``$1,300'' in its 
place.


Sec.  302-16.104  [Amended]

0
3. Amend Sec.  302-16.104 by removing ``Sec.  302-16.101'' and adding 
``Sec.  302-16.102'' in its place.

[FR Doc. 2011-14890 Filed 6-15-11; 8:45 am]
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