Comments on Transfer of Claims Settlement and Related Advance Decisions, Waivers, and Other Functions From GAO]

GAO commented on the transfer by law of certain GAO functions to other government agencies. GAO noted that: (1) one law transferred GAO's claims settlement authority and certain related functions to the Director, Office of Management and Budget (OMB); (2) the Director delegated settlement of certain claims to the Office of Personnel Management's Claims Adjudication Unit, the General Services Administration's Board of Contract Appeals, the Department of Defense's Office of Hearings and Appeals, and the Department of the Treasury's Judgement Fund Group; (3) the second law transferred GAO's authority to issue advance decisions with respect to the claims settlement functions transferred by the first law to OMB or to the head of the agency to which the function was delegated; (4) the Comptroller General retained the authority to issue decisions to disbursing or certifying officers and heads of agencies on matters involving the use of appropriated funds that do not specifically involve settling a claim or the functions transferred to OMB, and to grant relief to disbursing and certifying officers; (5) the second law also transferred GAO's authority to waive collection of erroneous payments from civilian employees and uniformed members to the executive agency that made the erroneous payment; and (6) OMB delegated the transferred functions to the heads of the agencies involved.