H.R. 3291, the Civilian Travel Expenses Act of 1985

GAO discussed H.R. 3291, which would amend the statutes governing travel and relocation expenses for federal employees. GAO noted that the current system of paying per diem in some places and actual expenses in high-rate geographical areas is cumbersome and costly. The General Services Administration (GSA) intends to implement the bill with regulations that establish a lodgings-plus system, where the employee would be reimbursed on the actual costs incurred for lodgings plus a fixed amount for subsistence and miscellaneous expenses, but would allow GSA the flexibility to adopt a flat-rate per diem system. The bill would: (1) remove the ceilings on the daily reimbursement of travel expenses; (2) permit GSA to set rates based on costs incurred in different localities; (3) allow GSA to permit reimbursement of actual and necessary subsistence expenses when the per diem allowance is inadequate; (4) permit reimbursement of travel and transportation expenses when an employee interrupts official travel and returns home because of personal emergency; (5) permit reimbursement of per diem and transportation expenses for employees due to threats resulting from assigned duties; (6) require GSA to collect information periodically on agency payments for travel and transportation expenses; and (7) authorize the payment of relocation expenses to Postal Service employees who transfer to positions in federal agencies. Finally, GAO suggested that employees be paid real estate expenses when they transfer from an overseas post to a new duty station in the United States.