REVISED TRAVEL ALLOWANCES

Mrs. HANSEN. I would also like you to insert in the record the schedule of per diem rates and mileage allowances currently in effect for your various offices.

Mr. HARTZOG. Madam Chairman, in administering the revised travel allowances we have prescribed a standard based on the cost of the hotel room.

Mr. MONTGOMERY. We have an allowance for other than lodging. If an employee pays $14 for a room, the per diem rate would be $23. This would provide for full reimbursement for lodging and $9 for meals and other expenses.

Mr. HARTZOG. If the room is $16, the total allowance would be $25. I receive a flat $25, and I have authorized members of the directorate to receive a flat $25.

Mrs. HANSEN. What is your mileage allowance?

Mr. HARTZOG. 10 cents generally when use of a personal car is authorized for the benefit of the Government. Otherwise, it is limited to General Services Administration or common carrier rates.

(Discussion off the record.)

Mrs. HANSEN. Can you operate the average car today for 10 cents a mile?

Mr. HARTZOG. Not the standard automobile that most of our people have.

Mrs. HANSEN. I have been convinced of that for sometime.

(Discussion off the record.)

Mrs. HANSEN. It costs a lot more to rent a car than 10 cents a mile. Mr. HARTZOG. That is right. There is a provision that authorizes reimbursement for other than transportation based on actual expenses, but I have not cleared payment on that basis because I would just as soon get the $25. I will be pleased to provide for the record the instructions we have issued on the per diem allowances.

(The information follows:)

To:

Directorate; All Regional Directors, District Director,
Northwest District; Directors Eastern and Western Service
Centers; and Director, Harpers Ferry Canter

Subject: Servicewide uniform per diem rates for official travel

1. On November 10, 1969, Public Law 91-114 was approved. The law, among other provisions, increased the maximum allowable per diem rate for official travel from $16.00 to $25.00; increased the limitation on actual expense reimbursement from $30.00 to $40.00 daily, and increased from $10.00 to $18.00 the daily amount by which actual expense reimbursement for foreign travel may exceed the published foreign per diem rates. The Service's policies with respect to these three categories of travel expense reimbursement under P.L. 91–114 are stated below for your compliance:

Subject to the provisions of the Standardised Government Travel Regulations, as amended, and unless a lower rate is specified in the travel authorization, the per diem rates for travel within the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia under the conditions specified below will be as follows:

a. $20.00 for the employee for travel from one official station to a new official station when the change of stations is for the convenience of the Government. Per diem allowances for the members of the employee's immediate family will be as prescribed in section 2.2 of Bureau of the Budget Circular No. A-56.

b. $10.00 when official travel does not require an overnight absence from the employee's official station or when sleeping accommodations at a temporary duty station are furnished without charge to the employee by a Government agency or at Government expensa.

c.

Per dien rates at Horace M. Albright and Stephen D. Mather Training Centers will be prescribed in a separate memorandum. The provisions

of this memorandum are not applicable thereto.

d. $3.00 when sleeping accommodations and all meals at a temporary duty station are furnished without charge to the employee by a Government agency or at Government expense. An example would be attendance at a meeting, seminar, etc. where the registration fee includes meals and lodging.

The per diem rate for temporary duty travel, including travel between official station and temporary post of duty, between temporary posts of duty, and while at temporary posts of duty, except as specified above in subparagraphs a, b, c and d, will be based on the average cost of lodging in accordance with the fellowing table:

The average daily lodging rate will be computed by dividing the cost of lodging, including taxes (but excluding tips, porters' fees, etc.), by the number of nights the traveler is in a travel status during the period covered by the voucher. When lodging is shared by others, only a pro-rata part of the cost will be used in determining the average daily rate, except that when the lodging is shared by members of the travelers family, the single occupancy rate will be used. Where a period of travel includes nights of lodging furnished by the Government and by the employee, all nights must be counted in computing the average lodging rate. For each meal furnished at Covernment expense, (where all meals were not furnished) the total per diem claim, computed as above, will be reduced $2.00 for each breakfast, $2.50 for each lunch and $4.50 for each dinner. The reduction by the traveler on his voucher may be by lump sum without documentation or itemization. Memorandum records should be maintained to facilitate preparation of travel vouchers.

Documentary evidence will not be required in support of the
voucher, but the traveler will certify in the voucher as
follows:

"I certify that the per diem claimed was determined in
strict accordance with paragraph 2(e) of Acting Assistant
Director Gastellum's memorandum dated November 28, 1969."

It is expected that all travelers will reside in reputable lodging facilities and will obtain the most economical available rates for adequate and reasonable accommodations. Travelers should keep receipts or a memorandum record to enable them to compute the per diem accurately when preparing their travel vouchers.

f. Approving officials may prescribe fixed per diem rates without regard to subparagraph (e) above that are equitable to both the employee and the Government in unusual circumstances warranting such action.

3. Actual Expense Basis

Each official trip where travelers will be authorized reimbursement of actual expenses of a specific daily amount not to exceed $40.00 per day must be proposed under known and justifiable conditions of extraordinary living cost, and must be individually approved by the Assistant Director, Administration. There is no change in the requirement for receipts.

4. Per diem rates outside the contiguous 48 States and the District of Columbia

a. The per diem rates to be authorised are those currently published for the countries to be visited. Computations will be made in accordance with paragraph 6.2(c) of the Standardized Government Travel Regulations.

b. When justified to and approved by the Assistant Director,
Administration, actual expenses up to a pre-stated limitation
may be allowed for foreign travel. The maximum that may be
reimbursed is the published rate for the country or countries
to be visited plus $18.00. Proposed travel orders under this
provision must state a specific amount, not necessarily the
maximum, of expenses for which the employee will be reimbursed.
Receipts are required.

The Bureau of the Budget has issued a revision to Circular A-7
by Transmittal Memorandum No. 9 dated November 10, 1969 to amend
the Standardized Government Travel Regulations as affected by
P. L. 91-114. No other provisions or requirements were changed,
therefore the use of Standardized Government Travel Regulations
will be continued in the administration and management of official
travel and in the examination and certification of travel vouchers
for payment.

The Bureau of the Budget has informed us that the agencies must bear the excess cost of P.L. 91-114 from current appropriations. This matter will be the subject of a separate memorandum. Program managers must, therefore, be alert to opportunities for restricting travel to absolutely essential purposes.

о