FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS CoMMissioN WASH INGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 6, 2019 The Honorable Chris Coons Ranking Member Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Committee on Appropriations United States Senate 125 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Coons: Thank you for your letter concerning the Federal Communications Commission s compliance with the airline travel requirements contained in the Federal Travel Regulations and section 632 of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019. I share your concern about wasteful spending and am pleased to report that the Commission has been in full compliance with these rules. Below I respond to your specific questions. 1. Please describe, with specificity and detail, the FCC policies for ensuring compliance with sections 301-10.121 through 301-10.125 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations. Response: The FCC s travel policies are documented in a travel manual as well as travel bulletins that are issued periodically for specific issues. These documents are available to all FCC employees. In addition, the FCC s Travel and Operations Group has its own set of internal policies and procedures for the functions it performs related to the FCC s travel processes as part of the FCC s financial operations team. Only allowable estimated expenses can be obligated on the travel authorization. All travel documents (i.e., travel authorizations, travel vouchers, and other required forms) must be approved by a designated approving official (who must be someone other than the traveler). The approving official s name and title, the date of the approval, and an original signature must be recorded in order for the travel documents to be processed. The responsibilities of the approving official are to: (1) ensure that the expenditures as stated on the travel authorization are valid and reasonable; (2) verify all items requested before signing the form; (3) verify that all necessary documents are signed and attached to the authorization/voucher before approving a trip; and (4) verify that a valid travel authorization number has been assigned. First and business class travel requires advance approval and a written justification signed by the designated approving official prior to travel. Per Commission policy, the FCC s Travel and Operations Group only approves first and business class travel justifications due to a qualifying medical necessity or in other narrow circumstances expressly provided by the Federal Travel Regulations. The signed justification must be attached to the travel authorization and response 3. has Response: 2. block internal signature. within travel signing maintain of accommodations, voucher. Page the For Please section in 2 The is place document. allowable 25-Oct-2018 DATE 03-Sep-2018 24-Jul-2018 c. listed member. class b. accommodate to Response: Washington, the Washington, Washington, FROM a. fiscal In or review reserved to its 41 In addition The describe initialing Bureau authorization The approved Each The 632 question to accommodations own C.F.R. the above, year Honorable ensure total Federal process, of FCC absence instance amount internal for This FCC The the or 2017 to with § the obligations in DC DC DC each 1. the policies Office a the TOTAL 301-10.123(b)(1), compliance financial FCC the internal medical Travel staff authorization through the or specificity signature for of Chris of formal review instance remarks approval. a documents non-coach-class authorized approving coach traveling $12,650.03 $7,019.71 $7,719.01 specific for Buenos Dubai, Buenos TO when Regulations OBLIGATION Coons review disability associated Services the approval process complying with of of fare. section and the first United the non-coach-class was Aires, Aires, authorization on process the the each are use detail, which designated two prior and Commission or process, given travel Federal with of ready exemption of other Arab with Argentina Argentina of airline quarters the General other to the may provides these each because documents. obtaining travel to section Emirates special FCC each Travel or travel. include be than approving instances instance of airline under approval business Goveritinent submitted policies authorization FCC that fiscal of coach-class 632 need. Regulations, an 03-Sep-2018 a 25-Oct-20 DATE 24-Jul-2018 a which an travel, medical Bureau are The supervisor of approving year of official. agency for are for In non-coach-class the to business reviewer each first liable Appropriations the ensuring 2019, the including same is and or disability 18 FCC may as necessary approving class Upon of voucher. or official s Office for please described Business Business class Business policies CLASS the a may authorize authorized compliance senior all or the completion three of travel business costs is pre-approve identify: airline to date The official a signature encouraged that Act, level instances in career in business pursuant approval of the the or 2019. travel. excess with class official of for staff FCC on the by to a assistance. Page 3 The I Response: d. appreciate manner Any Honorable instances The consistent your FCC interest Chris of does non-coach-class with Coons in not the these have Federal issues. çjiit any Sincerely, airline Travel such Please V. Pa travel instances Regulations. let not me to authorized know report. if I can or approved be of any in further a THE OFFICE CHAIRMAN Travel Travel qualifying signed number authorization/voucher signing recorded stated travel FCC approving approved of policies bulletins Response: been share section Dear compliance Washington, United The Committee S-128, 1. Subcommittee Chairman OF the Please sections Honorable employees. in Chairman your documents on FCC s by Regulations. and First The The Only Thank States the 632 full has and in that the by the medical official s describe, concern Operations The form; order responsibilities been Capitol on compliance of with and 301-10.121 procedures a allowable travel financial DC designated are Senate you designated the Appropriations on FCC s John Kennedy: business issued the assigned. for (3) (i.e., In 20510 Financial Financial for necessity authorization about name with The addition, airline verify the Kennedy before your Group travel operations travel estimated periodically for with through travel approving signed FEDERAL specificity class wasteful approving and of letter the that travel Services or Services authorizations, these approving policies only the the title, documents travel functions in justification all 301-10.125 are concerning expenses FCC s team. approving other requirements approves rules. spending necessary the official and COMMUNICATIONS for official valid and requires and are date narrow a specific detail, Travel WASHINGTON it documented General Below trip; General and to May can performs prior of first travel (who and official must of the be documents advance and reasonable; the be the circumstances title 6, contained and processed. issues. am Federal I to and obligated Government be respond must 2019 approval, vouchers, (4) Government FCC travel. 41, Operations pleased are related business attached in verify approval be Code to: These policies a Communications are COMMISSION in travel (2) someone to Per (1) on to and to signed the that and your of to verify class expressly the ensure documents Commission report the Group Appropriations and Federal Federal an the for manual other a FCC specific travel valid original and travel other ensuring travel a all that that written has required items attached s provided Travel travel Regulations. as authorization. travel justifications than the are the Commission s its authorization questions. well signature policy, compliance own justification Commission requested available expenditures authorization the Act, Regulations forms) processes as to by traveler). set travel the the 2019. the must of must FCC s due to before All and Federal internal with as all has be I as to and be The part a response has 3. Response: 2. block signature. internal signing within travel maintain of voucher. accommodations, Page the For Please section in 2 The is place document. allowable 25-Oct-20 03-Sep-201$ 24-Jul-2018 DATE c. member. listed class to the accommodate Response: b. Washington, Washington, Washington, FROM a. In fiscal or review reserved to its 41 In addition describe Bureau The initialing The authorization approved Each The 632 question to own accommodations the C.F.R. above, year Honorable ensure total Federal process, of FCC absence instance amount internal 18 for This FCC the The or 2017 to with § the in obligations DC DC DC each the policies 1. Office a the 301-10.123(b)(1), TOTAL compliance Financial FCC the internal medical Travel staff authorization through the or specificity signature for of John formal of review instance remarks approval. a documents non-coach-class approving authorized coach traveling $12,650.03 specific S7,719.01 $7,019.71 for Dubai, Buenos Buenos TO when N. Regulations OBLIGATION review disability associated Services the approval process complying Kennedy with of of fare. section and the first United the non-coach-class was Aires, Aires, authorization on process the the each are use detail, which designated two prior and Commission or process, given travel Federal with of ready exemption of with Arab other Argentina Argentina of airline quarters the General other to the may provides these each because documents. obtaining travel to section Emirates special FCC each Travel or travel. include be than approving instances instance of airline approval under business Government submitted authorization policies FCC that fiscal of coach-class 632 need. Regulations, an 03-Sep-2018 25-Oct-20 DATE a 24-Jul-2018 a which an travel, Bureau medical are The supervisor of approving year of official. for agency are for In non-coach-class the to business reviewer each first Appropriations liable the 2019, ensuring the including same and is or disability 18 FCC as may necessary approving class Upon voucher. of or official s Office for please described Business policies class Business Business CLASS the a may authorize authorized compliance senior all or the completion three of business travel costs is pre-approve identify: airline to date The official a signature encouraged that Act, level in instances career in business pursuant approval of the the or 2019. travel. excess with class official of for FCC staff on the by to a Page 3 The Honorable John N. Kennedy d. Any instances of non-coach-class airline travel not authorized or approved in a manner consistent with the Federal Travel Regulations. Response: The FCC does not have any such instances to report. I appreciate your interest in these issues. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, (Jjit v.