81 FR 883 - Federal Travel Regulation; Updating the Incidental Expenses Definition and the Laundry, Cleaning, and Pressing of Clothing Policy

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 5 (January 8, 2016)

GSA is proposing to amend the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by updating the definition for incidental expenses to include ATM fees, and by clarifying the policy for laundry, cleaning, and pressing of clothing.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 883-884]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-33147]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Parts 300-3, 301-11, 301-12, and 301-70

[FTR Case 2015-304; Docket 2015-0017, Sequence 1]
RIN 3090-AJ56


Federal Travel Regulation; Updating the Incidental Expenses 
Definition and the Laundry, Cleaning, and Pressing of Clothing Policy

AGENCY: Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP), General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: GSA is proposing to amend the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 
by updating the definition for incidental expenses to include ATM fees, 
and by clarifying the policy for laundry, cleaning, and pressing of 
clothing.

DATES: Interested parties should submit comments to the Regulatory 
Secretariat at one of the addresses shown below on or before March 8, 
2016 to be considered in the formation of the final rule.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by FTR Case 2015-304 by any of 
the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for 
``FTR Case 2015-304.'' Select the link ``Comment Now'' that corresponds 
with ``FTR Case 2015-304'' and follow the instructions provided at the 
screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and ``FTR Case 
2015-304'' on your attached document.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat (MVCB), Attn. Ms. Flowers, 1800 F Street NW., Washington, 
DC 20405.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite ``FTR Case 2015-
304'', in all correspondence related to this case. All comments will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal and/or business confidential information provided. To confirm 
receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov 
approximately two to three days after submission to verify posting 
(except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Mr. Cy Greenidge, Program Analyst, Office of Government-wide Policy, at 
202-219-2349. Contact the Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20405, 202-501-4755, for information pertaining to 
status or publication schedules. Please cite FTR case 2015-304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The FTR currently lists incidental expenses as fees and tips given 
to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships. 
Including ATM fees in incidental expenses, rather than reimbursing as a 
miscellaneous expense, will increase the Government's ability to 
project travel costs, improve cost control, and simplify rules of 
official travel. Additionally, this proposed rule removes the ambiguity 
on whether reimbursement of expenses for laundry, cleaning, and 
pressing of clothing for employees who go on official travel are 
subject to agency discretion.

B. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 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). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action, and 
therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, 
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This proposed rule would not have a 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 proposed rule is 
also exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
553(a)(2) because it applies to agency management or personnel.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the proposed 
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 (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 
3501, et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This proposed rule is also exempt from Congressional review 
prescribed under 5 U.S.C. 801. This proposed rule is not a major rule 
under 5 U.S.C. 804.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 300-3, 301-11, 301-12 and 301-70

    Administrative practices and procedures, Government employees, 
Travel and transportation expenses.

    Dated: December 7, 2015.
Giancarlo Brizzi,
Acting Associate Administrator (M), Office of Government-wide Policy.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
5701-5711, GSA proposes to amend 41 CFR parts 300-3, 301-11, 301-12, 
and 301-70 as set forth below:

PART 300-3--GLOSSARY OF TERMS

0
1. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 300-3 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 49 U.S.C. 40118; 5 
U.S.C. 5738; 5 U.S.C. 5741-5742; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); 31 U.S.C. 1353; 
E.O 11609, as amended, 3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp. p. 586, Office of 
Management and Budget Circular No. A-126, revised May 22, 1992.

0
2. Amend Sec.  300-3.1 in the definition ``Per diem allowance'' by 
revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  300-3.1  What do the following terms mean?

* * * * *
    Per diem allowance * * *
    (c) Incidental expenses--Transaction fees for ATM services, and 
fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and 
staff on ships.
* * * * *

PART 301-11--PER DIEM EXPENSES

0
3. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-11 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707.

0
4. Amend Sec.  301-11.31 by removing the first two sentences and adding 
one

[[Page 884]]

sentence in their place to read as follows:


Sec.  301-11.31  Are laundry, cleaning, and pressing of clothing 
expenses reimbursable?

    Your agency may reimburse the expenses incurred for laundry, 
cleaning, and pressing of clothing as a miscellaneous travel expense 
for TDY within CONUS. * * *

PART 301-12--MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

0
5. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-12 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707.


Sec.  301-12.1  [Amended]

0
6. Amend Sec.  301-12.1 by removing from the second column titled 
``Fees to obtain money'' the words ``Transaction fees for use of 
automated teller machines (ATMs)--Government contractor-issued charge 
card''.

PART 301-70--INTERNAL POLICY AND PROCEDURE REQUIREMENTS

0
7. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-70 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); Sec. 2, Pub. L. 
105-264, 112 Stat. 2350 (5 U.S.C. 5701, note), OMB Circular No. A-
126, revised May 22, 1992, and OMB Circular No. A-123, Appendix B, 
revised January 15, 2009.

0
8. Amend Sec.  301-70.200 by--
0
a. Removing from paragraph (f) the ``cases and'' and adding ``cases'' 
in its place;
0
b. Removing from paragraph (g) the period after the citation ``Sec.  
301-11.18(c)'' and adding ``; and'' in its place; and
0
c. Adding paragraph (h) to read as follows:


Sec.  301-70.200  What governing policies must we establish for 
authorization and payment of per diem expenses?

* * * * *
    (h) Who will determine, and in what instances, an employee will be 
separately reimbursed for transaction fees for use of automated teller 
machines (ATMs) when using the Government contractor-issued charge 
card, even though this expense is part of incidental expenses under per 
diem.
0
9. Amend Sec.  301-70.301 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  301-70.301  What governing policies must we establish for payment 
of miscellaneous expenses?

* * * * *
    (c) Who will determine if other miscellaneous expenses such as 
expenses for laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing are appropriate 
for reimbursement in connection with official travel.

[FR Doc. 2015-33147 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-14-P