Former Presidents: Office and Security Costs and Other Information
Published: 2001-09-28T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: For fiscal years 1977 through 2000, the federal government paid about $370 million to support former presidents and their families. As of June 2001, the offices of the five living former presidents ranged in size from 3,300 to 5,900 square feet. The General Services Administration (GSA) is authorized to provide each former president with suitable office space appropriately furnished and equipped at a location specified by the former president. The law does not, however, provide any guidance on the appropriate amount of space that is to be provided. For fiscal year 2000, GSA's rent charged 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 annual rent payment to GSA for fiscal year 2002 is estimated to be about $354,000. The federal government is paying the entire lease cost for all of the former presidents' offices, according to GSA officials. The rental rates GSA has paid for former presidents' offices are generally comparable to rents paid for similar properties in the same areas. The Carter Presidential Center has provided additional space for President Carter's use at no cost to the government. The Secret Service maintains space close to each of the former presidents' offices and pays rent to GSA for that space. The office staffs of former presidents ranged from six to 19 persons, including paid staff, volunteers, and interns. In addition to receiving federal compensation, most paid staff members also receive compensation from other sources. According to representatives of each former president, the staff is not involved with political fund-raising activities. To varying degrees, foundations associated with each former president are involved with the office operations. Although the foundations themselves do not pay any portion of the office rent, they do supply some furniture and equipment.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: 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. 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?
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.
subsections: section_title: Background
paragraphs: The Presidential Transition Act, the Former Presidents Act, presidential protection legislation, 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.
subsections: section_title: Presidential Transition Act
paragraphs: 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);   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). 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).
section_title: Former Presidents Act
paragraphs: 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.  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. GSA has decided that 6 months is sufficient time to complete any 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.  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.
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.
section_title: Presidential Protection
paragraphs: 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. 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. 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 years of age, unless such protection is declined. 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. 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-   protection was declined prior to end of the 10-year period.
section_title: Total Federal Cost of Former Presidents From Fiscal Years 1977 Through 2000 Was About $370 Million
paragraphs: 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.
section_title: Historical Space Data Provide Guidance for Amount of Office Space; Office Sizes Vary
paragraphs: 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.
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 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.
section_title: GSA Generally Pays All Costs for Office Space
paragraphs: 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. 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 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.
section_title: Office Rental Costs Generally Similar to Comparable Properties
paragraphs: 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 would be the current cost of comparable space at other locations near each of the former presidents offices.
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 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.
subsections: section_title: Transition Act Funds Are Authorized for Former Presidents Use for Initial Interior Space Construction and Furnishing of Space
paragraphs: 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 lump- sum 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 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.
section_title: Former Presidents’ Office Space Has No Special Amenities or Build-Out Features but Provides Good Exterior Views
paragraphs: 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 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.
section_title: Former Presidents Staff Generally Receive Compensation From Federal and Nonfederal Sources and Are Reportedly Not Engaged in Political Fund-raising
paragraphs: 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.
subsections: section_title: Staff Allowance
paragraphs: 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.
subsections: section_title: Staffs Receive Compensation From Nonfederal Sources
paragraphs: 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.
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.
section_title: Political and Presidential Foundation Fund-raising
paragraphs: According to all of the chiefs of staff or other representatives of the former presidents, none of the offices have been involved with political fund- raising 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 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. 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 fund- raising 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.
section_title: Presidential Foundations Involved With the Offices of Former Presidents
paragraphs: 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.
subsections: section_title: Former President Ford
paragraphs: 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 of her Center’s activities. Neither Mrs. Ford, the Library, nor the Center maintains offices at the former president’s office.
section_title: Former President Carter
paragraphs: 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.
section_title: Former President Reagan
paragraphs: 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 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.
section_title: Former President Bush
paragraphs: 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.
section_title: Former President Clinton
paragraphs: 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.
section_title: Agency Comments and Our Evaluation
paragraphs: 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 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.
section_title: Appendix I: Total Expenditures Associated With Former Presidents, Fiscal Years 1977 to 2000
section_title: Appendix II: Scope and Methodology
paragraphs: 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 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.