United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-09-28 monographic deposited born digital 39 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-983 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983 P0b002ee180385591 f:d01983 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983 GAO-01-983 Cost control Cost effectiveness analysis Housing allowances Office expense allowances Federal Buildings Fund Other Written Product A02038 GAO updated a 1988 report on costs borne by the federal government associated with former presidents and their dependents. In addition to updating that report, GAO added information concerning the offices of former presidents. For fiscal years 1977 through 2000, the federal government paid about $370 million to support former presidents and their families. As of June 1, 2001, the offices of the five living former presidents ranged in size from 3,306 to 5,912 square feet. Under the Former Presidents Act, the General Services Administration (GSA) is authorized to provide for each former president suitable office space appropriately furnished and equipped as determined by the GSA Administrator at a location specified by the former president. The law does not, however, provide any information or guidance on the appropriate amount of space that is to be provided. For fiscal year 2000, GSA's rental charged to former President Bush was $144,000, former President Carter $89,283, former President Ford $105,099, and former President Reagan $256,671. Former President Clinton's office was not finished until late August 2001. His estimated annual rent payment to GSA for fiscal year 2002 is estimated to be about $354,000. According to GSA officials, the federal government is paying the entire lease cost for all of the former presidents' offices. The rental rates GSA has paid are generally within the range of comparable rents paid for similar properties in the areas in which the former presidents' offices are located. The Carter Presidential Center, where the office of former President Carter is located, has provided additional space for President Carter's use at no cost to the government. The Secret Service maintains space close to each of the former presidents' offices and pays rent to GSA for that space. No special amenities or interior features appear to exist at the former President's offices. The office staffs of former presidents' ranged from six to 19 persons and included full-time and part-time paid members along with volunteers and interns. In addition to receiving federal compensation, most paid staff members also receive compensation from other sources. According to representatives of each former president, the staff is not involved with political fund-raising activities. To varying degrees, foundations associated with each former president are involved with the office operations. Although the foundations themselves do not pay any portion of the office rent cost, they do assist office operations by supplying some furniture and equipment https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983.pdf GAO-01-983 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-983 Other Written Product GAO-01-983; Former Presidents: Office and Security Costs and Other Information; Cost control Cost effectiveness analysis Housing allowances Office expense allowances Federal Buildings Fund Volume 76 Page 956 76 Stat. 956 Volume 79 Page 791 79 Stat. 791 Volume 82 Page 1190 82 Stat. 1190 Volume 107 Page 1226 107 Stat. 1226 Public Law 87-829 Public Law 89-186 Public Law 90-608 Public Law 103-123