Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee

on Treasury, Postal Service, and

General Government, Committee on

Appropriations, House of

Representatives

United States General Accounting Office

GAO

September 2001 FORMER

PRESIDENTS

Office and Security

Costs and Other

Information

GAO-01-983
Page i GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Letter 1

Results in Brief 2

Background 5

Total Federal Cost of Former Presidents From Fiscal Years 1977

Through 2000 Was About $370 Million 9

Historical Space Data Provide Guidance for Amount of Office

Space; Office Sizes Vary 9

GSA Generally Pays All Costs for Office Space 11

Office Rental Costs Generally Similar to Comparable Properties 12

Former Presidents’ Office Space Has No Special Amenities or

Build-Out Features but Provides Good Exterior Views 15

Former Presidents Staff Generally Receive Compensation From

Federal and Nonfederal Sources and Are Reportedly Not

Engaged in Political Fund-raising 16

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 21

Appendix I Total Expenditures Associated With Former

Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to 2000 23

Appendix II Scope and Methodology 34

Tables

Table 1: Former Presidents Office Space 10

Table 2: Fiscal Year 2000 Rental Cost for Offices of Former

Presidents and GSA’s Current Estimated Cost of

Comparable Space 13

Table 3: Former President’s Office Staff and Compensation Paid

With Funds From the Former Presidents Act 18

Table 4: Total Expenditures Associated With Former Presidents,

Fiscal Years 1977-2000 23

Table 5: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, Fiscal

Years 1977-2000 24

Table 6: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Former

President, Fiscal Years 1977-2000 25

Table 7: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Former

Presidents’ Widows, Fiscal Years 1977-2000 26

Contents
Page ii GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 8: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost

Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

2000 27

Table 9: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost

Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1999 28

Table 10: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost

Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1998 29

Table 11: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost

Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1997 30

Table 12: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost

Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1996 31

Table 13: Former Presidents, Wives, Widows, and Minor Children

Protected by the Secret Service, Fiscal Years 1977-2000 32
Page 1 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

September 28, 2001

The Honorable Ernest J. Istook, Jr.

Chairman, Subcommittee on Treasury,

 Postal Service, and General Government

Committee on Appropriations

House of Representatives

Dear Mr. Chairman:

This report responds to your request of March 20, 2001, that we update

and expand on the work we reported on in 1988, concerning costs borne

by the federal government associated with former presidents and their

dependents.1

 In addition to updating the information contained in that

report, you also asked for additional information concerning the offices of

former presidents. As agreed with your office our six objectives, therefore,

are as follows:

• How much has the federal government spent to support former presidents

and their dependents since fiscal year 1977?

• What are the sizes and types of office space utilized by each former

president? What guidance exists regarding the appropriate size of a former

president’s office?

• What is the rental cost of each of the former presidents’ offices, and does

any person or entity other than the General Services Administration (GSA)

pay for any of the former presidents’ office space? Is the rental cost GSA

pays for each former president’s office in accord with prevailing rental

rates for similar properties near the former presidents’ offices? Is there

any other space near the offices of former presidents that is used for

activities associated with former presidents?

• Are there any special amenities or interior space features within each

former president’s office that could affect rental cost?

• How many staff occupy each former president’s office? Does the staff

receive compensation from nonfederal sources? Are the staffs involved

with political fund-raising activities?

 1

Former Presidents: Support Costs and Other Information (GAO/GGD-88-57FS, Mar. 13,

1988).

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, DC 20548
Page 2 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

• Is there any involvement between entities such as presidential foundations

and the former presidents’ offices?

To respond to your request, we researched applicable laws, reviewed GSA

files, toured each of the former presidents’ offices and interviewed GSA

and U.S. Secret Service officials and staff from each of the former

presidents’ offices. In addition, to provide context for the information we

are reporting, we reviewed and discussed with GSA and Secret Service

officials, applicable laws authorizing benefits for former presidents and

GSA’s correspondence to one former president relating to the use of

appropriated funds. This report provides information on private funding

that was provided by the offices of the former presidents. GSA is not

required to collect or verify this information, nor are the offices of former

presidents required to report it.

During the period in which we conducted our review former President

Reagan’s office was in the process of relocating to a smaller office

complex. This relocation was expected to be completed during September

2001. Much of the information contained in this report about former

President Reagan’s office is based upon the location of his office as of

June 1, 2001. Where possible, we have also provided information

concerning his future office. At the time we last visited former President

Clinton’s office, it had not been completed. Where possible, we have

included information about his office based on information provided by

GSA officials responsible for establishing the office. Some of this

information was still preliminary at the time we completed our work and

is subject to change.

For fiscal years 1977 through 2000, the federal government paid about $370

million to support former presidents and their families. The cost for fiscal

year 2000 was about $26 million. Each former president by law is entitled

to a pension, a furnished office, salaries for office staff, office-operating

expenses, travel funds, free mail, and Secret Service protection. In

addition, a former president’s surviving widow is entitled to a pension. The

former president’s surviving spouse is entitled to free mail costs, and

Secret Service protection. The tables in appendix I provide cost

information on a yearly basis for fiscal years 1977 through 2000 and

identify those persons receiving protection during these fiscal years.

Tables 8 through 12 provide detailed information on cost, by category, for

each former president for fiscal years 1996 through 2000.

Results in Brief
Page 3 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

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,2

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. According to a GSA

official who was involved with establishing former President Bush’s office,

the former president used the size of existing former presidents’ offices as

a guide in determining the size of his future office. Likewise, the Chief of

Staff for former President Clinton said historical space data and advice

from GSA officials were used in estimating the size of former President

Clinton’s office. Table 1 provides information on the types and amount of

space, such as the former president’s personal office, general offices, and

conference area for each of the former presidents’ offices.

For fiscal year 2000, GSA’s rental charge 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

a GSA official, the fiscal year 2003 rental rate will be adjusted to reflect

any amortization of interior construction costs not accounted for in the

fiscal year 2002 rental charge. 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. Table 2 provides information on the

fiscal year 2000 rental cost of the former presidents’ offices and current

comparable rental cost for other properties located near each of the

former presidents’ offices. No outside organizations paid any portion of

the rent. However, the Carter Presidential Center,3

 where the office of

former President Carter is located, has provided additional space for

former President Carter’s use at no cost to the government. This includes a

conference room and some office space. The Secret Service maintains

 2

3 U.S.C. § 102 note.

3

Former President Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter founded the Carter Presidential

Center, a nonprofit organization in 1982. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum are

operated by a separate organization.
Page 4 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

space close to each of the former presidents’ offices. The Secret Service

pays rent to GSA for that space.

No special amenities or interior features appear to exist at the former

Presidents’ offices. All five offices provide good exterior views. Three of

the offices—those of former Presidents Bush, Reagan,4 and Clinton—are

located on the top floor of their respective high-rise buildings and

provided panoramic views. Former President Ford’s office is a one-story

house with a view overlooking a golf course and former President Carter’s

office is located on the second floor—also the top floor—of the Carter

Center and provides a view of some of the Carter Center grounds.

According to GSA officials, office space permitting good outside views

should command higher rental rates. However, because so many other

factors also affect the negotiation of rental rates, they could not provide a

precise amount for that feature.

The office staffs of former presidents’ ranged from 6 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. These sources

include the former presidents and his or his spouses’ foundations. Table 3

provides information on the type and number of staff that are currently

employed by each former president and the total federal and nonfederal

compensation they receive. According to representatives of each former

president, the staff is not involved with political fund-raising activities.

Former President Carter’s staff is involved with fund-raising for the former

president’s foundation.

To varying degrees, foundations associated with each former president are

involved with the office operations. While the foundations themselves do

not pay any portion of the office rental cost, they do assist office

operations by supplying some furniture and equipment. At former

President Carter’s office, which is leased from the Carter Presidential

Center—a nonprofit foundation—two staff members of the Center use

office space paid for by GSA. Simultaneously, however, GSA does not pay

for other Center space that is used exclusively by former President Carter

or his staff. Only one of the former presidents’ spouse maintains an office

within his office complex. Former President Carter provides his spouse an

 4

Former President Reagan’s office is relocating to another building. The size of the office is

also being reduced from about 5,912 to about 2,450 usable square feet of space.
Page 5 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

office. GSA pays for that space. According to a former President Carter

office representative, Mrs. Carter is significantly involved with the former

president’s activities and thus was provided an office by the former

president.

We provided copies of a draft of this report to the Administrator, General

Services Administration, the Secretary of the Treasury, and former

Presidents Bush, Carter, Clinton, Ford, and Reagan for their comment. We

received either written or oral comments from GSA, the Secret Service, a

Treasury bureau, former President Carter and representatives of former

Presidents Bush, Clinton, Ford, and Reagan. GSA’s Chief Financial Officer

and former President Clinton’s Chief of Staff provided technical

clarifications to our draft report. These clarifications have been included

where appropriate. The Deputy Assistant Director of the Secret Service

stated that the Secret Service had no comment. Former President Carter

and the Chiefs of Staff of former Presidents Bush, Ford and Reagan all said

that the information pertaining to their offices was accurate.

The Presidential Transition Act,5

 the Former Presidents Act, presidential

protection legislation,6

 and other legislation authorize federal government

benefits for former presidents, their spouses, and children. The

Presidential Transition Act and the Former Presidents Act authorize office

space and office operating costs to a former president. The Former

Presidents Act authorizes pensions for a former president and his

surviving widow. The protection legislation authorizes the Secret Service

to provide protection for former presidents, their spouses, and children

and specifies the length of time each is entitled to receive protection.

The act authorizes GSA to provide former presidents the following

support:

• suitable office space, appropriately furnished and equipped as determined

by the GSA Administrator at a place within the United States specified by

the former president;

• compensation for members of their office staff, not to exceed for any one

person the amount provided for an Executive Level IV position (currently

that amount is $125,700);

 5

3 U.S.C. § 102 note.

6

18 U.S.C. § 3056.

Background

Presidential Transition Act
Page 6 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

• an allowance for travel expenses and subsistence;

• communications services; and

• printing, binding, and postage expenses.

Under the Transition Act, funds are available for expenses incurred to

establish an office for an outgoing president beginning 30 days before his

presidential term expires, (December 21) until 6 months after the end of

the term of office (July 20).7

 The act also provides that, except for

pensions, entitlements under the Former Presidents Act do not become

effective until 6 months after the presidential term expires (July 20).

This act authorizes GSA to provide the following support for a former

president, some of which are similar to that provided by the Transition

Act:

• a pension at an annual rate equal to the rate of pay for a head of an

executive department, currently $161,200. Upon the death of a former

president, a surviving widow is entitled to receive an annual pension of

$20,000.

• an office staff selected by the former president and responsible only to

him in the performance of their duties. For the first 30 months the total

annual allowance for the entire staff is limited to $150,000. Thereafter, the

annual allowance is limited to $96,000. No individual may be paid more

than the highest annual rate provided for an Executive Level II position,

currently $145,100. While not considered to be federal employees, staff

working for the former president are eligible for certain federal benefits,

such as federal retirement and life and health insurance.8

• office space appropriately furnished and equipped, as determined by the

GSA Administrator, located wherever the former president specifies in the

United States. Upon the death of a former president, GSA has determined

that to give the staff ample time to bring its operations to a conclusion, the

office should be allowed, as a general rule, to operate up to 6 additional

months.9

 GSA has decided that 6 months is sufficient time to complete any

 7

GSA has concluded that July 20th is the last day that Presidential Transition Act funds are

legally available to be obligated by a former president.

8

Retirement – 5 U.S.C. § 8331(1)(I) and 5 U.S.C. § 8401 (11)(A), health insurance- 5 U.S.C. §

8901(1)(H), and life insurance – 5 U.S.C. § 8701(a)(9).

9

The Former Presidents Act does not provide any information or guidance on how long a

former president’s office should be given to wind up affairs after a former president’s

death.

Former Presidents Act
Page 7 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

unfinished business and transfer appropriate documents and other items

to the presidential library. The surviving spouse is not entitled to any staff

or office allowance.

Originally provided for in the Former Presidents Act, former presidents

were authorized to send nonpolitical mail within the United States, its

territories, and possessions as franked mail (i.e., mail with their signature

in lieu of postage). Subsequently, this provision was moved to 39 U.S.C.

§ 3214 and revised to include mail sent internationally and to grant

surviving spouses the same mailing privileges.10 The former presidents

may also use penalty mail (mail sent in envelopes without a stamp and

bearing a notice of penalty for private use) for 6 months after leaving

office under the authority of the Presidential Transition Act. GSA is also

authorized to pay for travel and related expenses of former presidents and

no more than two members of their staffs.11

GSA, in consultation with officials representing the former presidents,

prepares yearly operating budgets. Funds are appropriated by Congress

and included as part of GSA’s annual appropriation act. In addition to

assisting the former presidents’ offices with budget preparation, GSA also

provides administrative support for the offices of former presidents,

assisting on requests for equipment, supplies, and other office

expenditures.

Beginning in 1962, the Secret Service was authorized to protect a former

president, at his request, for a reasonable period of time after he leaves

office.12 In 1965, protection was expanded to a former president and his

wife during his lifetime and the widow and minor children of a former

president for a period of 4 years after he leaves office or his death occurs

while still in office, unless such protection is declined.13 In 1968, protection

was once again expanded to protect a former president and his wife

during his lifetime, the widow of a former president until her death or

remarriage, and minor children of a former president until they reach 16

 10The Former Presidents Act appropriation reimburses the Postal Service for expenses

under 39 U.S.C. § 3214.

11Public Law 90-608, 82 Stat. 1190, 1192 (1968).

12Public Law 87-829, 76 Stat. 956 (1962).

13Public Law 89-186, 79 Stat. 791 (1965).

Presidential Protection
Page 8 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

years of age, unless such protection is declined.14 In 1994, the law was

amended to rescind lifetime protection for former presidents and their

spouses if the president’s term of office began after January 1, 1997.15 The

1994 amendment provided that for presidents who begin their term of

office after January 1, 1997, protection is provided for them and their

spouses for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former

president leaves office except, as follows:

• The protection of a spouse is terminated in the event of remarriage or

divorce from, or the death of a former president.

• If the death of a president occurs while in office or within 1 year after

leaving office, the spouse shall receive protection for 1 year from the time

of death.

• The child of a former president under the age of 16 receives protection for

a period of time not exceeding 10 years or upon the child becoming age 16,

whichever comes first.

After the statutory period of protection has terminated, the Secretary of

the Treasury has the authority to provide temporary protection if the

Secretary determines that conditions warrant further protection.

President George W. Bush is the first President covered by the revised

protection legislation.

In fiscal year 1994, the Former Presidents Act was amended to authorize

an appropriation for GSA to make available for each former president up

to $1 million annually and his or her spouse up to $500,000 annually for

security and travel-related expenses if,

• the former president and/or spouse was not receiving lifetime protection

under the lifetime provision (18 U.S.C. § 3056), or

• protection provided by the Secret Service had expired at the end of the 10-

year period, or

• protection was declined prior to end of the 10-year period.

 14Public Law 90-608, 82 Stat. 1190, 1198 (1968).

1518 U.S.C. § 3056.
Page 9 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Each former president by law is entitled to a pension, franked mail, a

furnished office, office staff salaries, office operating expenses, travel

funds, and Secret Service protection. In addition, a former president’s

surviving widow is also entitled to a pension. The former president’s

surviving spouse is entitled to free mail and Secret Service protection. For

fiscal year 2000, the cost to the federal government for those benefits was

about $26 million. For fiscal years 1977 through 2000, the total cost was

about $370 million. The tables in appendix I provide information on costs

on a yearly basis for fiscal years 1977 through 2000 and identify recipients

of protection during these fiscal years. Tables 8 through 12 provide

detailed information on cost, by category, for each former president for

fiscal years 1996 through 2000.

Under the Former Presidents Act, GSA is authorized to furnish each

former president suitable office space appropriately furnished and

equipped, as determined by the GSA Administrator, at a location of the

former presidents choosing in the U.S. According to GSA officials, this

provision allows former presidents to select the city, building, floor, and

even location on a floor for their offices. GSA’s role is to negotiate with the

building owners the best lease, which would include rental cost. GSA

officials told us that GSA has no authority to reject a former president’s

location request and has not issued any guidance on this subject. The law

does not provide any information or guidance for GSA concerning the

amount of office space requested by a former president. According to a

GSA official who was involved with establishing former President Bush’s

office, the former president used the size of existing former presidents’

offices as a guide in determining the size of his future office. Likewise, the

Chief of Staff for former President Clinton said historical space data and

advice from GSA officials were used in estimating the size of former

President Clinton’s office.

As of June 1, 2001, the size of former presidents’ offices ranged from 3,306

to 5,912 square feet. Table 1 provides information on the amount of space

utilized by former Presidents’, Bush, Carter, Clinton, Ford, and Reagan.

Table 1 also provides information on the amount of various types of space,

such as the former president’s personal office, general offices, and

conference space in each of the former presidents’ offices. A lease has

been signed for the Clinton office space. Although former President

Clinton moved into his office during July 2001, as of August 7, 2001,

construction of the interior and furnishing of this space had not been

completed.

Total Federal Cost of

Former Presidents

From Fiscal Years

1977 Through 2000

Was About $370

Million

Historical Space Data

Provide Guidance for

Amount of Office

Space; Office Sizes

Vary
Page 10 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 1: Former Presidents Office Spacea

Former presidents

Space usage Ford Carter Reaganb

Bush Clinton

President’s

office

610 1,018 555 698 1,106

Spouse office 0 496 0 0 0

General office 1,560 2197 3,607 3,223 3,880

Conference 401 0c 0d 336 442

Kitchen/pantry 0f164 60 198 49

Other 735 348 1,690g119 112

Total 3,306 4,223 5,912 4,574 5,589

a

Actual measurement of space, in usable square feet, made by GSA at our request.

b

Former President Reagan’s office is relocating, with an expected reduction in space to about 2,450

square feet.

c

The Carter Center provides a conference room at no cost to GSA.

d

The office has some space that was previously used as conference space but is presently

designated as reception/office space and is included in the office category.

e

Kitchen/pantry located in the Secret Service space.

f

Includes a mailroom of about 140 square feet.

g

Includes a secure corridor, hallway, and elevator lobby.

Source: GSA.

The office of former President Reagan was in the process of relocating.

The current location has been used since he left office in 1989. According

to his Chief of Staff, this move is being done because the former president

no longer requires as much space as is currently occupied. Because of the

former president’s medical condition, the new office will not contain an

office for the former president’s personal use. The new office will be

reduced in size from about 5,900 to about 2,450 usable square feet. GSA

signed a lease for the space on July 3, 2001, and relocation is expected to

take place during September 2001. In addition to his current office, about

1,700 additional square feet of space was used for a short period of time

during 1989 and 1990 as a mailroom. The space was located in another

building and was required because of the large amount of mail that was

being received.

Former Presidents Ford and Bush have had only one primary office since

their terms of office ended. The office size for former President Ford has

not changed. Former President Bush’s office eliminated about 1,300 square

feet of unneeded office space in 1994, about 1 year after he first occupied
Page 11 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

his office. About 119 square feet of storage space was added during 1999.

The storage space is located on another floor in the building.

Both former Presidents Ford and Bush maintain summer offices in other

locations. Former President Ford’s primary office is located in Rancho

Mirage, CA., and his summer office is in Vail, CO. Former President Bush’s

primary office is located in Houston, TX, and his summer office in

Kennebunkport, ME. GSA does not pay any rental costs for the two

summer offices; the former presidents pay the costs for the space. Their

primary offices remain open and operational throughout the year. GSA’s

primary costs for the two summer offices are the per diem and travel cost

of staff who relocate for the summer months to staff those offices. Only

two staff members are allowed to be on travel at government expense at

the same time. The per diem and travel costs for the Ford and Bush

summer offices for fiscal year 2000 were $36,247 and $35,607, respectively.

Former President Carter’s office is located at the Carter Presidential

Center, in Atlanta GA. According to GSA and Carter Center officials,

former President Carter’s office has resided at the Center since the Center

opened in 1986. Prior to that time, the office was located in the Russell

Federal Building, which is also located in Atlanta. According to

information provided by GSA, the square footage of the Carter Center

office is about 18 percent smaller than that of the Russell building

location.

According to GSA officials, except for the office of former President

Carter, all the space occupied by each of the offices of former presidents is

paid for by GSA.16 As shown in Table 8, for fiscal year 2000, GSA’s rental

charge to former President Bush was $144,000, former President Carter

$89,283, former President Ford $105,099, and former President Reagan

$256,671. As of August 7, 2001, former President Clinton’s office was not

finished. His estimated annual rent payment to GSA for fiscal year 2002, is

expected to be about $354,000. According to a GSA official, the fiscal year

2003 rental rate will be adjusted to reflect any amortization of interior

construction costs not accounted for in the fiscal year 2002 rental charge.

All the former presidents’ offices are located in leased space, including

 16The rent payments for the former presidents’ offices are paid from Former Presidents Act

appropriations and transferred into the Federal Buildings Fund to reimburse GSA for the

lease costs and administrative and security fees.

GSA Generally Pays

All Costs for Office

Space
Page 12 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

former President Clinton’s office. GSA is the lessee for all office space

used by the former presidents, and the former presidents are, in essence,

tenants. Former President Carter, who maintains his office at the Carter

Presidential Center, utilizes some additional office space that is provided

by the center at no cost to the government. For example, a conference

room and some office space are available for his use. The Center also

provides an apartment that is located next to his personal office. In

addition to the former president’s office space, the Secret Service

maintains offices near each former president’s office. GSA negotiates

space for the Secret Service, as part of the lease for each former

president’s office. The Secret Service pays rental costs for its space to

GSA.

Based upon the information provided by GSA officials, rental rates paid by

GSA for former presidents’ offices generally are similar to rental rates

charged for comparable office space located near the former presidents’

offices. The cost per square foot of space for former presidents Bush and

Carter was within the range, and the rate for former President Reagan’s

office was slightly below. Although, the rental rate for former President

Ford, was about 6 percent higher than the highest comparable rental rate,

the firm that provided the rental information at the request of GSA stated

that suitable space for use by a former president might not exist. In its

report, the firm stated that the space for which they provided information

was applicable for typical agencies but not necessarily a former President.

Former President Clinton’s space is about 4 percent more costly than

other federally leased space in the same building but located on a lower

floor. According to a GSA official, the higher floor location was the most

significant factor for the higher cost.

The amount of rent that GSA charges each of the offices of former

presidents is determined in the same way GSA determines rent it charges

federal agencies in space it controls. The former presidents’ office rent is

based upon GSA’s lease costs (what it pays the building owner), plus

amounts to cover GSA administrative and security costs. GSA charges rent

monthly. The rental cost are paid from GSA’s Former Presidents Act

appropriation and deposited into the Federal Buildings Fund. GSA uses

the Federal Buildings Fund, subject to congressional limitations, to pay

lease costs, building operating costs and capital expenses.

Table 2 provides information on the rental cost of each of the former

president’s offices for fiscal year 2000 and what GSA officials believe

Office Rental Costs

Generally Similar to

Comparable

Properties
Page 13 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

would be the current cost of comparable space at other locations near

each of the former presidents offices.

Table 2: Fiscal Year 2000 Rental Cost for Offices of Former Presidents and GSA’s

Current Estimated Cost of Comparable Space

Former

president and

location of

office

Fiscal year

2000 rental

costa

Usable square

feetb

Cost per

usable square

foot

GSA’s estimated

comparable

costc

Bush

Houston, TX

$144,000 4,574 $31.48 $34.91 to $37.93

Carter

Atlanta, GA

89,283 4,223 21.14 $18.14 to $33.05

Ford

Rancho Mirage,

CA

105,099 3,306 31.79 $22.81 to $29.94d

Reagane

Los Angeles, CA

256,671 5,912 43.42 $44.84 to $64.93

a

Rent paid by former presidents to GSA includes the lease cost GSA pays to the building owners plus

GSA administrative and security costs.

b

Actual measurement of space made by GSA at GAO’s request.

c

The comparable rental cost provided by GSA officials has been increased by GSA’s 8 percent

administrative fee and 13 cents per-square foot security fee.

d

GSA hired a private firm to conduct a market survey of available properties. That firm provided rental

rate information on seven properties. However, in its report it stated that there is very little existing

space that is of the quality or is suitable for the use of a former president’s office. The report also

stated that while the properties included in its report would be “...valid for a typical agency office

lease, ... we are not comfortable that a suitable quality office building exists for the proposed use.”

e

On July 2, 2001, GSA signed a lease for space to house former President Reagan’s new office. A

total of about 2,450 square feet will be used for the former president’s office. The estimated annual

rental payment to GSA by the former president will be about $139,000, or about $56.73 per square

foot.

Source: GSA.

Former President Clinton’s office is not included in table 2 because his

New York City office was not opened until July of 2001. Although the

office was opened in July, interior construction was not completed until

August 2001. GSA’s rental payment to the building owner, per usable

square foot, is expected to be about $59.71. Former President Clinton’s

annual rental cost for fiscal year 2002 is currently estimated to be about

$354,000. This amount includes GSA’s lease cost and its administrative and

security costs. According to a GSA official, the fiscal year 2003 rental rate

will be adjusted to reflect any amortization of interior construction costs

not accounted for in the fiscal year 2002 rental charge. Also according to

the official, the current square foot rental rate that GSA is paying the

building owner is similar to the rate negotiated for the Social Security
Page 14 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Administration on another lease in the building and awarded the same day

as the former president’s office lease (April 17, 2001). The rental rate per

square foot for the Social Security office, which is located on a lower floor,

is about $57.18. The Clinton rental rate is about 4 percent higher.

According to a GSA official, the higher floor location was the most

significant factor for the higher cost. Also, according to the official, no

other comparable properties exist in the area.

Once GSA has negotiated a lease for space, an office’s layout must be

developed, constructed, and furnished with desks, telephones, computers,

and other equipment. The amount of interior construction depends upon

the condition of the leased space and the planned layout: it might already

be configured so that only minor modifications are necessary, or the space

could require extensive work. If interior construction is necessary, GSA

tries, as part of its negotiation with the building owner, to persuade the

owner to pay for some of the construction costs. For example, as part of

the lease cost, the owner may provide an allowance of $5 per square foot.

According to GSA officials, the condition of the commercial leasing

market at the time GSA negotiates with the owner determines, to some

extent, what the rent and build-out allowance will be. If quality space is in

short supply, GSA officials said that rental rates go up and allowances

offered or provided by building owners go down.

If the costs of the construction exceed the allowance provided by the

owner, GSA and the former president, as the tenant, are responsible for

the additional costs. Such costs can be charged against the former

president’s account in one lump-sum, or GSA can amortize the cost as part

of the rent over some period of time. We found that at least two of the

former presidents’ offices, using Transition Act funds, chose the lump-sum

payment to pay for part of their office interior construction costs. We

could not determine if similar payments were made for the other three

former presidents’ offices, because records were not readily available.

However, based upon discussions we had with GSA officials, we believe it

is likely that this method was chosen as well. Using the funds on a lumpsum basis keeps the rent costs lower than if those costs were amortized

and collected as part of the monthly rent. In the GSA lease files for former

Presidents Bush and Clinton, we found documentation stating that the

former presidents authorized the use of their transition funds for this

purpose. According to a GSA budget official, this is an allowable

expenditure of Transition Act funds because they can be used for office

space. According to the budget official, it was his experience that this was

the preferred method. Former President Bush authorized $134,500 and

Transition Act Funds Are

Authorized for Former

Presidents Use for Initial

Interior Space

Construction and

Furnishing of Space
Page 15 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

former President Clinton authorized $415,000 of their Transition Act funds

for the construction of their offices interior space. Former President

Clinton’s total transition budget was $1,525,000, of which about $878,000

was obligated as of June 30, 2001.

Once the interior construction is finished, the office needs to be furnished

with desks, chairs, computers, telephone systems, and so forth. According

to a GSA budget official, either Transition or Former President Act funds

can be used for this purpose because both acts allow for those types of

expenditures. Subsequent purchases of furniture or equipment may be

paid for from either Transition or Former Presidents Act funds, depending

on the timing of the acquisition.

During our examination of former Presidents’ Bush, Carter, Ford, and

Reagan offices, we did not identify any special amenities or build-out

features that we believe would not be found in similar commercial office

space. Construction of former President Clinton’s office was only partially

complete at the time of our visit to his office on August 7, 2001. We

inspected each former president’s office complex and did not see anything

that might be considered in excess of what would be found in quality

office space elsewhere. Walls were generally painted, no wallpaper, and

the furniture was generally government issue. According to GSA officials,

a former president is allowed interior space that is comparable to the

quality of space provided to an executive department head. Since the

former president’s pension is based upon the salary of a cabinet official, it

is reasonable to expect that the office quality would be comparable. We

visited two cabinet officer offices as part of this assignment, and on

previous occasions we have visited offices such as an U.S. Attorney’s

office and judicial chambers. Based upon our observations, we do not

believe that the former presidents’ offices exceed the GSA standard. While

former President Clinton’s office was not yet completed when we visited,

the completed work was not expected to include anything that appeared

to exceed GSA’s standard or what we observed in the offices we visited for

comparative purposes. GSA’s New York Region Director of Property

Acquisition and Realty Services said the quality of former President

Clinton’s planned office would be equivalent to a federal official such as a

U.S. Attorney or federal judge.

Each former president’s office had what we considered to be a good

outside view. Three of the offices, former Presidents Bush, Reagan, and

Clinton, are located on the top floor of their respective buildings. In our

opinion, each provides good panoramic views. Former President Ford’s

Former Presidents’

Office Space Has No

Special Amenities or

Build-Out Features

but Provides Good

Exterior Views
Page 16 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

office is a one-story house and former President Carter’s is located on the

second floor of the Carter Center. Each of those two offices, we believe,

also has good exterior views. Former President Ford’s view is of a golf

course, and former President Carter’s view consists of part of the Carter

Center grounds.

We asked GSA officials if a higher floor location or a good exterior view

could command a higher rental rate. They said that while everything

regarding real estate is negotiable, it would be reasonable to assume that a

high-floor office with a good view or an office with a good view in general

could be expected to command a higher rental rate. Because so many

factors influence what the final rental rate would be, such as the supply

and demand for office space, GSA officials could not provide a definitive

incremental rental amount generally associated with a higher floor

location or an office with a good view. However, according to a GSA

official involved with the lease for former President Clinton’s office space,

a higher elevation could command as high as a 10 percent premium.

Each former president receives federal funding for an office staff. Former

presidents’ office staff ranged from 6 to 19 persons, including full- and

part-time paid members and volunteers and interns. Although staffs can

receive federal compensation, they are not considered federal employees.

They are, however, eligible for certain federal benefits such as retirement

and health insurance. In addition to receiving federal compensation, most

staff members also receive additional compensation from the former

presidents, their foundations, and/or their spouses’ foundations. According

to representatives of the former presidents’, no staff members conducted

political fund-raising.

The Former Presidents Act allows each former president to select a staff

that is only responsible to him in the performance of their duties. An

annual allowance of $150,000 is provided for the first 30 months beginning

July 20th of the year in which the term of office of the former president

expired and $96,000 annually thereafter. According to officials from GSA’s

Office of General Counsel, while the staff receives federal compensation,

they are not classified as federal employees. However, the staff may

participate in several federal employee benefits programs, such as

retirement and health insurance. Table 3 provides information on the

number of staff within the offices of former Presidents Bush, Carter,

Clinton, Ford, and Reagan.

Former Presidents

Staff Generally

Receive

Compensation From

Federal and

Nonfederal Sources

and Are Reportedly

Not Engaged in

Political Fund-raising

Staff Allowance
Page 17 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

In addition to receiving federal compensation, most of the former

presidents’ staffs reportedly receive compensation from nonfederal

sources according to representatives of the former presidents. This

additional compensation came directly from the former presidents and/or

from one of their or their spouses’ foundations. In return, the staff perform

their normal former presidents’ office duties, assist the former president

with personal matters, or assist the foundation with former presidential

activities or a combination of the three. For example, the head of one

former president’s office receives compensation from the federal

government, the former president, and his foundation. That person’s

duties include managing the office, dealing with issues such as preventing

the commercialization of the former president’s image, assisting the

foundation with setting up meetings and conferences dealing with issues

that took place during his presidency, and serving as the library’s freedom

of information representative. Table 3 provides information on the total

amount of compensation received by the office staff of former Presidents

Bush, Carter, Ford, and Reagan and the sources of that compensation.

Table 3 also provides limited information on former President Clinton’s

staffing plans.

Staffs Receive Compensation

From Nonfederal Sources
Page 18 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 3: Former President’s Office Staff and Compensation Paid With Funds From

the Former Presidents Acta

Former President

Types of staff Ford Carter Reagan Bush Clintonb

Full-time

paid

4 9 4 6 12

Part-time

paid

1 0 13 0

Volunteersc1 2 13 6

Internsc0 1 22 1

Total 6 12 8 14 19

Total amount of

federal salaries

$95,732 $93,864 $94,316 $95,644 $0

Total amount of

nonfederal

salaries

$87,550 $314,837 $150,000 $363,000 $0d

Total

compensation

$183,282 $408,701 $244,316 $458,644 $0

a

Staff numbers are current as of June 1, 2001, and compensation reflects total for fiscal year 2000. As

of June 1, 2001, former President Clinton’s staff was being paid by Transition Act funds. Former

President Act funds became available to pay his staff salaries on July 20, 2001. As of June 30, 2001,

former President Clinton has obligated about $562,000 for personnel salaries and benefit costs.

b

Based upon an estimate provided by the Chief of Staff of former President Clinton. The permanent

office was not fully established at the time of our review.

c

Based upon a daily average. Former President Clinton’s office is expected to utilize volunteers and

interns, but the exact number of these individuals has not yet been determined.

d

According to the Chief of Staff of former President Clinton, some staff compensation will be paid by

the former president and his presidential foundation.

Source: Offices of former Presidents and GSA.

GSA officials informed us that there is no legal prohibition that would

preclude the former president’s staff from receiving compensation from

other sources or doing personal work for the former presidents. We are

unaware of any legal prohibition that would preclude these activities. With

regard to the former president’s staff doing personal work for him, the

Former Presidents Act provides that staffs are only responsible to the

former president in the performance of their duties.

According to all of the chiefs of staff or other representatives of the former

presidents, none of the offices have been involved with political fundraising activities. This is consistent with GSA’s advice to the former

presidents that their staff should not use appropriated funds for partisan

political activities. In response to a request from former President Bush for

GSA’s opinion on matters relating to the operation of his office, the GSA

Administrator stated in a 1993 letter that “neither appropriated funds nor

Political and Presidential

Foundation Fund-raising
Page 19 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

federally funded office staff time may be used in support of partisan

political activities.” At the time GSA sent former President Bush this letter,

there was a specific prohibition in GSA’s appropriations act against using

funds appropriated for former presidents’ allowances and office staff for

partisan political activities.17 While this prohibition is no longer included in

GSA’s appropriations act, GSA officials informed us that as a matter of

policy it has always, even prior to the 1993 provision, advised former

presidents against using federal funds or federally funded office staff time

for partisan political activities. GSA has not issued any overall instructions

about the propriety of political fund-raising by the staff of former

presidents.

Former President Carter’s staff is, however, involved with fund-raising for

the former president’s foundation. GSA officials informed us that there is

no legal prohibition against former president’s staff participating in fundraising activities for the former president’s foundations. We are unaware

of any legal prohibition that would preclude former president’s staff from

engaging in this type of activity.

To varying degrees, foundations associated with the former presidents or

their spouses are involved with the use of former president’s office space

and staff. In addition to staff compensation discussed above, former

presidents' foundations share office in the former presidents’ offices and

provide office equipment and furnishings. GSA officials informed us that

there is no legal prohibition against the practices of sharing office space

and providing furniture and equipment that have developed between

former presidents and their foundations. We are unaware of any legal

prohibitions that would preclude this. The following is a description of

the relationship between those organizations and the current former

presidents who already have permanent offices.

According to the Chief of Staff for former President Ford, one staff

member receives compensation from the Gerald R. Ford Library and

Museum and another staff member receives compensation from the Betty

Ford Center. The latter staff member conducts normal duties for the

former President and also assists Mrs. Ford with her Center’s activities.

According to the Chief of Staff, the staff member’s computer was supplied

by the Center and Mrs. Ford pays for all office supplies required as a result

 17Public Law 103-123, 107 Stat. 1226, 1266 (1993).

Presidential Foundations

Involved With the Offices

of Former Presidents

Former President Ford
Page 20 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

of her Center’s activities. Neither Mrs. Ford, the Library, nor the Center

maintains offices at the former president’s office.

Former President Carter’s office is located at the Carter Presidential

Center and space is rented from the Center. According to the Carter

Center’s Director of Administrative Services, all of the office staff that

work on former President Carter’s activities are employed and paid by the

Carter Center. However, under a contract between GSA and the Center,

GSA pays $80,000 to the Center to provide administrative support for the

office of the former president. Those funds are then used to cover a

portion of some employee’s salaries. The Director also stated that all of

the other staff only receive Carter Center funds. During fiscal year 2000,

one employee who was located in Plains, GA, worked for the office and

received compensation from both the government and the Carter Center.

That employee retired last year. Employee titles are also different. Where

as other former presidents have chiefs of staff, former President Carter’s

personal assistant’s title is the Executive Assistant to the Chairman.

Former President Carter is the Carter Center’s chairman.

Some of the space utilized by the Carter Center’s Executive Director and

his assistant is paid for by GSA. According to the Director, he is actively

involved with the office of former President Carter by traveling with the

former president, accepting awards on his behalf, handling some of the

former president’s correspondence, and working with the former

president’s staff. Mrs. Carter is assigned an office in the office of former

President Carter. The Director of Administrative Services stated that the

former president decided to provide an office for his wife in his former

president’s office because they both work jointly on most activities

involving the former president. GSA officials informed us that there is no

legal prohibition against this, and we are unaware of any such prohibition.

The Director also stated that GSA does not pay for some space that is used

exclusively by the former president, such as a conference room and some

office space. The Carter Center also provides an apartment for the former

president. The apartment is located next to the former president’s

personal office in the Carter Center. According to the Director, the Carter

Center provided most of the equipment and furniture used by the former

president’s staff.

GSA subleases space for former President Reagan’s office from the Ronald

Reagan Presidential Foundation. The foundation once had staff located on

the same floor but in separate office space. The foundation staff has since

relocated to the Reagan Library, but according to former President

Reagan’s Chief of Staff, the foundation did utilize the conference room for

Former President Carter

Former President Reagan
Page 21 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

its quarterly meetings. According to the Chief of Staff, one staff person

receives compensation from the foundation; this individual assists the

foundation in setting up conferences, such as on the Cold War, that are

associated with the former president. The foundation provided some

furniture. The Chief of Staff also stated that Mrs. Reagan supplied a

computer used by one of the staff who assists her, and she purchases her

own office supplies. Mrs. Reagan does not have an office in the office of

former President Reagan. The Chief of Staff also stated that three staff

members receive compensation from former President Reagan.

According to the Chief of Staff for former President Bush, two staff

members receive compensation from the George Bush Presidential Center

Foundation. The foundation also provided two computers and some

furniture, but it has no office space at the former president’s office. From

August 2000 through March 2001, one of its staff members was located at

the former president’s office. That staff person transcribed the personal

diaries of the former president that he dictated while he was president.

One staff member assists Mrs. Bush. According to the Chief of Staff, Mrs.

Bush purchases all office supplies necessary for her activities. Mrs. Bush

does not have her own office at former President Bush’s office. The Chief

of Staff also stated that seven staff members receive compensation from

former President Bush.

Former President Clinton has established the William Jefferson Clinton

Presidential Foundation. The foundation is located in Little Rock,

Arkansas. As previously stated, the foundation will assist with the payment

of office staff salaries. According to former President Clinton’s Chief of

Staff, no other assistance from the foundation is being considered.

We received either written or oral comments from GSA, the Secret

Service, former President Carter and representatives of former Presidents

Bush, Clinton, Ford, and Reagan. GSA’s Chief Financial Officer and

former President Clinton’s Chief of Staff provided technical clarifications

to our draft report. These clarifications have been included where

appropriate. The Deputy Assistant Director of the Secret Service stated

that the Secret Service had no comment. Former President Carter and the

Chiefs of Staff of former Presidents Bush, Ford and Reagan all said that

the information pertaining to their offices was accurate.

As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce the contents of

this report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 30 days from its

issue date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to the Chairman

Former President Bush

Former President Clinton

Agency Comments

and Our Evaluation
Page 22 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

and Ranking Minority Members of the congressional committees with

jurisdiction over GSA and the Secret Service. We are also sending copies

of this report to the Administrator of GSA; the Secretary of the Treasury;

the Director of the Secret Service; and former Presidents Bush, Carter,

Clinton, Ford, and Reagan. We will also send copies to interested

congressional committees and make copies available to others on request.

Major contributors to this report were Ronald King, John Parulis, and

Susan Michal-Smith. If you or your staff have any questions, please contact

me on (202) 512-8387 or at ungarb@gao.gov.

Sincerely yours,

Bernard L. Ungar

Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 23 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 4: Total Expenditures Associated With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977-

2000

Fiscal year

Former

Presidents

Act

Secret

service

protection Total

1977 $378,749 $5,576,349 $5,955,098

1978 651,965 7,936,728 8,588,693

1979 720,697 9,072,373 9,793,070

1980 739,795 7,563,432 8,303,227

1981 718,325 9,741,663 10,459,988

1982 1,024,405 11,750,238 12,774,643

1983 1,028,820 10,941,419 11,970,239

1984 1,075,176 10,547,659 11,622,835

1985 1,103,933 11,416,329 12,520,262

1986 1,036,729 8,359,615 9,396,344

1987 1,055,273 9,265,491 10,320,764

1988 1,058,305 8,331,803 9,390,108

1989 1,247,848 13,472,939 14,720,787

1990 1,710,716 12,785,902 14,496,618

1991 1,815,394 12,897,617 14,713,011

1992 1,976,800 13,481,078 15,457,878

1993 2,247,506 18,945,296 21,192,802

1994 2,495,498 18,797,425 21,292,923

1995 2,072,824 20,942,654 23,015,478

1996 1,992,168 21,139,287 23,131,455

1997 2,002,882 22,746,170 24,749,052

1998 2,036,002 22,580,904 24,616,906

1999 2,023,888 23,186,699 25,210,587

2000 2,083,331 23,743,561 25,826,892

Total $34,297,029a$335,222,631 $369,519,660

a

For fiscal years 1985 through 1987, the amount shown includes Former President Act funds used to

pay the rental charge for a townhouse owned by the federal government in Washington D.C. that was

used exclusively by former presidents when they visited the capital. Starting with fiscal year 1988,

Congress eliminated the rental payments because the property was seldom used. The charge to the

Former Presidents Act account for those 3 years was $62,913, $63,627, and $53,821 respectively.

Source: GSA and Secret Service officials.

Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 24 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 5: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, Fiscal Years 1977-2000

Fiscal year

Former

presidents Widows Total

1977 $316,168 $62,581 $378,749

1978 590,002 61,963 651,965

1979 660,697 60,000 720,697

1980 693,394 46,401 739,795

1981 676,125 42,200 718,325

1982 979,405 45,000 1,024,405

1983 1,006,420 22,400 1,028,820

1984 1,052,276 22,900 1,075,176

1985 1,080,933 23,000 1,103,933

1986 1,012,604 24,125 1,036,729

1987 1,034,273 21,000 1,055,273

1988 1,037,329 20,976 1,058,305

1989 1,226,884 20,964 1,247,848

1990 1,688,611 22,105 1,710,716

1991 1,794,670 20,724 1,815,394

1992 1,956,300 20,500 1,976,800

1993 2,226,106 21,400 2,247,506

1994 2,474,298 21,200 2,495,498

1995 2,050,324 22,500 2,072,824

1996 1,970,972 21,196 1,992,168

1997 1,981,582 21,300 2,002,882

1998 2,014,595 21,407 2,036,002

1999 2,002,374 21,514 2,023,888

2000 2,061,731 21,600 2,083,331

Total $33,588,073 $708,956 $34,297,029

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 25 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 6: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Former President, Fiscal Years 1977-2000a

Fiscal year Nixon Ford Carter Reagan Bush Total

1977 $215,923 $100,245 $0 $0 $0 $316,168

1978 229,323 360,679 0 0 0 590,002

1979 282,990 377,707 0 0 0 660,697

1980 318,213 375,181 0 0 0 693,394

1981 300,418 323,390 52,317 0 0 676,125

1982 311,313 296,188 371,904 0 0 979,405

1983 291,868 331,184 383,368 0 0 1,006,420

1984 317,525 350,366 353,063 0 0 1,020,954

1985 317,469 360,995 339,556 0 0 1,018,020

1986 307,679 328,267 313,031 0 0 948,977

1987 360,990 343,182 276,280 0 0 980,452

1988 403,601 351,161 282,567 0 0 1,037,329

1989 390,557 359,441 324,027 152,859 0 1,226,884

1990 407,202 336,785 352,200 592,424 0 1,688,611

1991 420,611 409,956 367,899 596,204 0 1,794,670

1992 436,739 411,840 407,934 699,787 0 1,956,300

1993 448,603 454,145 388,256 746,058 189,044 2,226,106

1994 396,901 433,539 406,673 665,973 571,212 2,474,298

1995 0 453,235 411,214 619,954 565,921 2,050,324

1996 0 430,088 394,825 605,607 540,452 1,970,972

1997 0 432,121 408,277 608,886 532,298 1,981,582

1998 0 437,639 398,937 614,028 563,991 2,014,595

1999 0 437,328 399,765 611,236 554,045 2,002,374

2000 0 510,357 397,635 599,649 554,090 2,061,731

Total $6,157,925 $9,005,019 $7,029,728 $7,112,665 $4,071,053 $33,376,390

a

Does not included cost associated with D.C. townhouse. (See table 4 note) Cost was charged to

overall account and not to individual former presidents.

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 26 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 7: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Former Presidents’

Widows, Fiscal Years 1977-2000

Fiscal

year Mrs. Johnson Mrs.Truman Mrs. Eisenhower

Widows

postage Total

1977 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $2,581 $62,581

1978 20,000 20,000 20,000 1,963 61,963

1979 20,000 20,000 20,000 0 60,000

1980 20,000 20,000 2,000 4,401 46,401

1981 20,000 20,000 0 2,200 42,200

1982 20,000 20,000 0 5,000 45,000

1983 20,000 0 0 2,400 22,400

1984 20,000 0 0 2,900 22,900

1985 20,000 0 0 3,000 23,000

1986 20,000 0 0 4,125 24,125

1987 20,000 0 0 1,000 21,000

1988 20,000 0 0 976 20,976

1989 20,000 0 0 964 20,964

1990 20,000 0 0 2,105 22,105

1991 20,000 0 0 724 20,724

1992 20,000 0 0 500 20,500

1993 20,000 0 0 1,400 21,400

1994 20,000 0 0 1,200 21,200

1995 20,000 0 0 2,500 22,500

1996 20,000 0 0 1,196 21,196

1997 20,000 0 0 1,300 21,300

1998 20,000 0 0 1,407 21,407

1999 20,000 0 0 1,514 21,514

2000 20,000 0 0 1,600 21,600

Total $480,000 $120,000 $62,000 $46,956 $708,956

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 27 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 8: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

2000

Cost Category Ford Carter Reagan Bush Widows Total

Pensions

Benefits for former presidents pensions $155,700 $155,700 $155,700 $155,700 $20,000 $642,800

Office Staff

Personnel benefits $22,182 $5,903 $23,652 $34,348 $0 $86,085

Personnel compensation 95,732 93,864 94,316 95,644 0 379,556

Subtotal $117,914 $99,767 $117,968 $129,992 $0 $465,641

Office

Equipment $24,528 $0 $0 $12,978 $0 $37,506

Equipment rental 000 00 0

Other services 6,225 15,374 14,306 18,199 0 54,104

Postage 16,116 15,114 10,267 14,007 1,600 57,104

Printing 50 865 8,075 12,057 0 21,047

Rental payments to GSA 105,099 89,283 256,671 144,000 0 595,053

Supplies and materials 20,865 1,120 22,780 10,226 0 54,991

Telephone 20,992 20,412 13,882 9,307 0 64,593

Transportation of things 1,622 0 0 0 0 1,622

Travel 41,246 0 0 47,624 0 88,870

Subtotal $236,743 $142,168 $325,981 $268,398 $1,600 $974,890

Total $510,357 $397,635 $599,649 $554,090 $21,600 $2,083,331

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 28 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 9: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1999

Cost Category Ford Carter Reagan Bush Widows Total

Pensions

Benefits for former presidents pensions $151,800 $151,800 $151,800 $151,800 $20,000 $627,200

Office Staff

Personnel benefits $23,131 $5,479 $22,749 $34,178 $0 $85,537

Personnel compensation 95,801 93,864 91,529 94,773 0 375,967

Subtotal $118,932 $99,343 $114,278 $128,951 $0 $461,504

Office

Equipment $2,319 $0 $0 $26,813 $0 $29,132

Equipment rental 00 0 0 0 0

Other services 4,276 11,425 8,846 8,545 0 33,092

Postage 7,805 17,414 9,106 13,879 1,514 49,718

Printing 0 1,480 14,484 18,027 0 33,991

Rental payments to GSA 76,938 92,388 274,361 139,279 0 582,966

Supplies and materials 20,266 5,589 22,173 12,173 0 60,201

Telephone 21,178 20,326 15,135 9,907 0 66,546

Transportation of things 0 0 1,053 34 0 1,087

Travel 33,814 0 0 44,637 0 78,451

Subtotal $166,596 $148,622 $345,158 $273,294 $1,514 $935,184

Total $437,328 $399,765 $611,236 $554,045 $21,514 $2,023,888

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 29 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 10: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1998

Cost Category Ford Carter Reagan Bush Widows Total

Pensions

Benefits for former presidents pensions $150,950 $150,950 $150,950 $150,950 $20,000 $623,800

Office staff

Personnel benefits $23,227 $5,152 $23,083 $35,048 $0 $86,510

Personnel compensation 95,795 93,864 95,391 95,491 0 380,541

Subtotal $119,022 $99,016 $118,474 $130,539 $0 $467,051

Office

Equipment $15,211 $0 $12,812 $28,800 $0 $56,823

Equipment rental 00 0 00 0

Other services 5,677 12,680 18,565 10,986 0 47,908

Postage 7,148 15,869 10,003 13,386 1,407 47,813

Printing 1,192 6,904 14,173 19,896 0 42,165

Rental payments to GSA 74,846 89,251 258,782 134,372 0 557,251

Supplies and materials 8,667 2,603 17,162 11,821 0 40,253

Telephone 16,575 21,664 11,509 16,054 0 65,802

Transportation of things 0 0 406 0 0 406

Travel 38,351 0 1,192 47,187 0 86,730

Subtotal $167,667 $148,971 $344,604 $282,502 $1,407 $945,151

Total $437,639 $398,937 $614,028 $563,991 $21,407 $2,036,002

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 30 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 11: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1997

Cost Category Ford Carter Reagan Bush Widows Total

Pensions

Benefits for former presidents pensions $148,400 $148,400 $148,400 $148,400 $20,000 $613,600

Office staff

Personnel benefits $20,880 $4,788 $22,817 $34,867 $0 $83,352

Personnel compensation 95,136 93,961 95,645 93,051 0 377,793

Subtotal $116,016 $98,749 $118,462 $127,918 $0 $461,145

Office

Equipment $10,037 $14,819 $16,446 $14,689 $0 $55,991

Equipment rental 1,229 0 0 0 0 1,229

Other services 3,430 12,151 15,366 13,916 0 44,863

Postage 6,711 17,305 11,401 12,956 1,300 49,673

Printing 2,336 4,433 10,103 1,319 0 18,191

Rental payments to GSA 74,949 89,373 269,243 134,557 0 568,122

Supplies and materials 10,661 4,880 14,086 7,981 0 37,608

Telephone 18,563 18,167 5,137 17,122 0 58,989

Transportation of things 0 0 0 97 0 97

Travel 39,789 0 242 53,343 0 93,374

Subtotal $167,705 $161,128 $342,024 $255,980 $1,300 $928,137

Total $432,121 $408,277 $608,886 $532,298 $21,300 $2,002,882

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 31 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 12: Expenditures Under the Former Presidents Act, by Cost Category, by Former President and Widows, Fiscal Year

1996

Cost Category Ford Carter Reagan Bush Widows Total

Pensions

Benefits for former presidents pensions $148,400 $148,400 $148,400 $148,400 $20,000 $613,600

Office Staff

Personnel benefits $23,087 $4,747 $23,308 $36,652 $0 $87,794

Personnel compensation 96,000 92,942 91,217 112,019 0 392,178

Subtotal $119,087 $97,689 $114,525 $148,671 $0 $479,972

Office

Equipment $4,536 $1,304 $0 $7,198 $0 $13,038

Equipment rental 960 0 0 0 0 960

Other services 6,708 5,314 11,206 4,926 0 28,154

Postage 6,189 25,213 15,149 18,351 1,196 66,098

Printing 511 1,440 17,419 9,868 0 29,238

Rental payments to GSA 74,949 89,373 269,242 134,557 0 568,121

Supplies and Materials 6,768 6,504 18,740 8,851 0 40,863

Telephone 17,474 19,588 10,090 13,160 0 60,312

Transportation of things 0 0 836 605 0 1,441

Travel 44,506 0 0 45,865 0 90,371

Subtotal $162,601 $148,736 $342,682 $243,381 $1,196 $898,596

Total $430,088 $394,825 $605,607 $540,452 $21,196 $1,992,168

Source: GSA officials.
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 32 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

Table 13: Former Presidents, Wives, Widows, and Minor Children Protected by the

Secret Service, Fiscal Years 1977-2000

FY 1977 FY 1978 FY 1979

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Eisenhower

John Kennedy, Jr.

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Susan Ford

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Eisenhower

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Eisenhower

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

FY 1980 FY 1981 FY 1982

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Eisenhower

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Amy Carter

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Amy Carter

FY 1983 FY 1984 FY 1985

Mrs. Truman

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Amy Carter

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixon

Mrs. Nixon

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Nixona

Mrs. Nixona

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

FY 1986 FY 1987 FY 1988

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan
Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated

With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to

2000

Page 33 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

FY 1989 FY 1990 FY 1991

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

FY 1992 FY 1993 FY 1994

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

FY 1995 FY 1996 FY 1997

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

Mrs. Johnson

Former President Ford

Mrs. Ford

Former President Carter

Mrs. Carter

Former President Reagan

Mrs. Reagan

Former President Bush

Mrs. Bush

a

Protection ended on July 31, 1985, at the request of former President Nixon.

Source: Secret Service officials.
Appendix II: Scope and Methodology

Page 34 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

To answer the first objective, which updates the cost information

contained in our 1988 report, we obtained from GSA and Secret Service

data on the expenditures for former presidents for fiscal years 1977

through 2000. We did not independently verify the information they

provided.

To determine the size of each office and how the space is used, such as a

presidential suite, general office space, or other uses, we reviewed GSA

files, toured each of the former presidents’ offices, and interviewed GSA

officials and officials representing each former president. GSA provided us

with information regarding the amount of space utilized for specific

purposes, such as the size of each former president’s personal office. As

you requested, all space measurements are reported in usable square feet.

GSA defines usable square feet as the area where a tenant normally houses

personnel and/or furniture. It does not include any share of a building’s

support or common-use areas, such as elevator lobbies, building corridors,

or mechanical rooms. We did not independently verify the space

measurements. To determine if there was other federal space associated

with the former presidents’ offices, we asked GSA officials for information

about whether other federal space was associated with the former

president’s office.

To determine if the offices contain any special amenities that could affect

rental cost, we toured each of the former presidents’ offices and

interviewed GSA leasing officials about factors that could affect rental

costs. Our conclusions about whether or not the offices contained any

unusual build-out items or special amenities not generally found in

commercial office space are based upon visits we made to the offices of

the Secretaries of Labor and Transportation and our audit experience

dealing with GSA space issues. GSA leasing officials provided information

on the rental cost of comparable properties. We did not independently

verify that information. We gathered information on how GSA determines

its rental charges. To determine if the former presidents’ office rental rates

were in line with prevailing rental rates, we asked GSA to provide rental

rates for comparable properties located near each former president’s

office. We did not independently verify the information provided by GSA.

However, we did review the market survey GSA had contracted for in

regard to locating comparable office space for former President Ford’s

office and any information provided by GSA officials regarding

comparable office space for the other former presidents.

To determine the number of staff utilized by each office, and from which

entities the staff received compensation, we reviewed GSA files dealing

Appendix II: Scope and Methodology
Appendix II: Scope and Methodology

Page 35 GAO-01-983 Former Presidents

with federal compensation for these staffs, interviewed staff members

from each former president’s office, and obtained compensation data on

all staff from a representative at each office. We did not obtain the source

documents or independently verify that data. To determine if the staff was

involved with political fund-raising, we asked each former president’s

chief of staff or other representative whether their staffs were involved

with political fund-raising. We did not independently verify their response.

To determine what involvement, if any, other persons or entities have had

with each of the former presidents’ offices, we interviewed staff of each of

the former presidents’ offices.

In addition to reviewing GSA records, we also researched applicable laws

dealing with former presidents and discussed these laws with GSA and

Secret Service officials.

We requested comments on a draft of this report from Administrator of

GSA, the Secretary of the Treasury, and former Presidents Bush, Carter,

Clinton, Ford, and Reagan. We received written comments from GSA, the

Secret Service, a Treasury bureau, former President Carter and former

President Clinton’s Chief of Staff. We also received oral comments from

the Chiefs of Staff for former Presidents Bush, Ford, and Reagan. Their

comments have been incorporated, as appropriate, in this report.

We conducted our review at the following locations:

• GSA offices in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Houston, and Ft. Worth, TX;

New York City, NY, and San Francisco, CA;

• Secret Services office in Washington, D.C., and

• Former President Bush’s office in Houston, TX; former President Carter’s

office in Atlanta, GA; former President Clinton’s temporary office in

Washington, D.C., and the space leased by GSA for his office in New York

City, NY, former President Ford’s office in Rancho Mirage, CA; and former

President Reagan’s office in Los Angeles, CA.

We conducted our work between March and August 2001 in accordance

with generally accepted government auditing standards.

(393017)
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