Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/04/10/E9-8176/federal-travel-regulation-ftr-ftr-case-2009-303-furnished-meals-at-conferences-and-other-events
Timestamp: 2018-08-18 17:08:52
Document Index: 260260537

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 300', '§\u2009300', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301']

Federal Register :: Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); FTR Case 2009-303, Furnished Meals at Conferences and Other Events
Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); FTR Case 2009-303, Furnished Meals at Conferences and Other Events
A Rule by the General Services Administration on 04/10/2009
FTR Case 2009-303
Docket Number 2009-0001, Sequence 3
3090-AI88
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 300-3, 301-2, 301-11, and 301-70
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-8176 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-8176
The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to clarify that travelers must deduct the appropriate amounts from their meals and incidental expense (M&IE) allowance when meals are part of a registration fee or otherwise paid for by the Government, in conjunction with attendance at conferences or other events while on official travel. In addition, GSA is amending the FTR to clarify that in limited instances, agencies may allow employees to claim the full M&IE allwance when employees are unable to consume meals furnished by the Government.
Effective Date: This final rule is effective April 10, 2009.
Applicability Date: This final rule is applicable for official travel performed on and after April 10, 2009.
The Regulatory Secretariat (VIR), Room 4035, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202) 208-7312, for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of content, contact Mr. Craig Flynn, Office of Governmentwide Policy, at (202) 501-0306. Please cite FTR Amendment 2009-03; FTR case 2009-303.
On March 14, 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a Start Printed Page 16328report entitled, “Governmentwide Purchase Cards: Actions Needed to Strengthen Internal Controls to Reduce Fraudulent, Improper, and Abusive Purchases.” The report recommended that GSA instruct agencies to remind Government travelers that they must reduce the M&IE claimed on their travel vouchers by the specified amount that GSA allocates when travelers receive Government-paid-for meals at conferences or other events, including continental breakfasts.
While GSA emphasizes prudent management of travel funds, it also recognizes that there are times when a traveler cannot consume a Government-furnished meal due to reasons that either transcend personal choice (such as medical requirements or religious beliefs) and the traveler is unable to make alternative meal arrangements with the conference or event coordinators or due to the conduct of official business. The requirement to deduct the appropriate amount from the travel voucher may not reasonably apply to travelers in such circumstances.
1. Section 300-3.1—Adding a definition for “Furnished meal.”
2. Section 301-2.5—Adding paragraph (p) requiring specific authorization for an employee to claim the full applicable M&IE allowance due to medical requirements or religious beliefs, despite the fact that meals are furnished to the employee through registration fees or otherwise paid for by the Government.
3. Section 301-11.18—Incorporating the terms “continental breakfast” and “furnished meal” where appropriate, and clarifying under what circumstances agencies may permit employees to claim the full M&IE allowance even though meals are furnished by the Government.
4. Section 301-70.200—Adding paragraph (h) requiring agencies to designate who will determine, and in what instances, an employee may be able to claim the full M&IE allowance even though meals are furnished to the employee by the Government.
This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal Register for notice and comment, therefore the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., does not apply.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, pursuant to
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; 3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586, Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-126, “Improving the Management and Use of Government Aircraft.” Revised April 28, 2006.
2. Amend § 300-3.1 by alphabetically adding the definition of “Furnished meal” to read:
4. Amend § 301-2.5 by removing “and” at the end of paragraph (n); removing the period at the end of paragraph (o) and replacing it with “; and”; and adding paragraph (p) to read as follows:
What travel arrangements require specific authorization or prior approval?
(p) Due to an employee's medical requirements or religious beliefs, payment of the full M&IE allowance even though meals are furnished by the Government either directly or through a registration fee or other payment for a conference or other event, in accordance with § 301-11.18(b).
6. Revise § 301-11.18 to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided in § 301-11.17 or in paragraph (b) of this section, your M&IE allowance must be adjusted for meals furnished to you by the Government (including meals furnished under the authority of Chapter 304 of this Title) by deducting the appropriate amount shown in the chart in this section for travel within CONUS and the chart in Appendix B of this chapter for meal deductions for OCONUS and foreign travel. The total amount of deductions made will not cause you to receive less than the amount allowed for incidental expenses.
Continental Breakfast/Breakfast 7 8 9 10 1 12
Start Printed Page 16329
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), Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-126, “Improving the Management and Use of Government Aircraft,” revised April 28, 2006, and OMB Circular No. A-123, Appendix B, “Improving the Management of Government Charge Card Programs,” revised April 2006.
8. Amend § 301-70.200 by removing “and” at the end of paragraph (f); removing the period at the end of paragraph (g) and replacing it with “; and”; and adding paragraph (h) to read as follows:
(h) Who will determine, and in what instances, an employee will be able to claim the full M&IE allowance even though meals are furnished to the employee by the Government, in accordance with § 301-11.18(b) and § 301-11.18(c).
[FR Doc. E9-8176 Filed 4-9-09; 8:45 am]