Senators Collins, King, Shaheen, and Hassan Call on Navy to Improve Process for Reimbursing Travel Expenses for Public Shipyard Employees

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) led a bipartisan group of 10 Senators in writing to the Acting Secretary of the Navy, requesting that he delegate down the chain of command the authority to grant increased reimbursement rates for public shipyard workers’ long-term temporary duty (TDY) assignments. Currently, the authority to grant these increased reimbursements rests with an official on the Department of Defense’s Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC), which has led to delays in the process shipyard workers must use to submit reimbursement requests for long-term travel. 

When public shipyard employees are assigned to work at a long-term TDY station, they can seek reimbursement for meals and incidental expenses. In 2014, however, the Department of Defense (DoD) reduced the reimbursement rates for long-term TDY travel, forcing many of our nation’s public naval shipyard workers on long-term travel to pay for necessary living expenses out of their own pockets. Recent changes to DoD’s Joint Travel Regulations, as well as provisions included in the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), allow the Secretary of the Navy to provide a waiver to long-term TDY workers, enabling them to receive reimbursement for costs incurred up to the full reimbursement rate. The PDTATAC may also waive a receipt collection requirement.

Unfortunately, the waiver process has been affected by delays, as the waiver approval authority is far removed from our nation’s shipyards. The FY 2017 NDAA, however, also allows the Secretary to delegate waiver authority down the chain of command, such as to the Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Delegating this authority to eligible commands would help prevent unnecessary bureaucratic and administrative issues and allow workers to receive full reimbursement in a timely manner.

“We write today requesting your attention to recent amendments to the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) affecting civilian public shipyard employees who are required to work on long-term temporary duty (TDY) assignments,” the Senators wrote. “Specifically, we ask that you delegate waiver authority for these new provisions to the Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), as is authorized by the JTR and National Defense Authorization Act for FY17 (NDAA).”

“In a time of increasing global threats, our Navy is providing our first line of defense, ensuring that critical national security objectives are met. The civilian workers at our public naval shipyards serve a vital role in this effort, ensuring the continued effectiveness of our Fleet by conducting essential maintenance on our Navy ships and submarines while away from home on long-term TDY assignments,” the Senators continued. “These workers should not have to worry that they may have to pay out of their own pocket for official travel expenses nor spend their valuable time collecting and administering receipts. Additionally, we should afford our dedicated shipyard workers the courtesy of eliminating any undue burden caused by administrative delays associated with the waiver approval processes.”

In addition to Senators Collins, King, Shaheen, and Hassan, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Click HERE for a signed copy of the letter. The full text of the letter is below:

The Honorable Sean J. Stackley
Acting Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350

Dear Secretary Stackley:

We write today requesting your attention to recent amendments to the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) affecting civilian public shipyard employees who are required to work on long-term temporary duty (TDY) assignments. Specifically, we ask that you delegate waiver authority for these new provisions to the Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), as is authorized by the JTR and National Defense Authorization Act for FY17 (NDAA).

The Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) authorized two recent changes to the JTR which are now in effect. The first change allows the Secretary of the Navy to authorize reimbursement of actual expenses for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) up to the locality rate when the flat rate for M&IE is insufficient to meet the traveler’s needs. The second change allows the Secretary to waive the receipt requirement for travelers on long-term TDY authorized to receive actual expenses up to the full locality rate when requiring receipts will negatively affect mission performance or create an undue administrative burden. In both cases, the JTR states that the waiver approval authority may be delegated as low as the three-star general or flag officer level.

Congress sought these provisions in Section 672 of the NDAA signed into law late last year, and we are pleased that DOD and the Navy have worked to implement these policy changes. Nevertheless, we understand that shipyard workers are struggling to navigate the administrative process to receive waiver determinations in a timely manner.

The waiver authority for these provisions, as delegated by the Secretary of the Navy in May 2016, currently rests with the Navy PDTATAC Principal. Congress’ intention in providing for these changes in the NDAA, however, was for the Service Secretaries to delegate approval authority to a close enough command level so as to provide efficient and appropriate review of waiver requests originating from shipyards. Thus, we strongly urge you to delegate waiver authority for these provisions to the Commander, NAVSEA, and to thereafter encourage his immediate approval of all appropriate waivers. We believe the NAVSEA Commander, who manages an annual budget of nearly $30 billion and an organization of 70,000 civilians, military, and contractors, would possess the perspective and judgment fitting for decisions on the use of these JTR waiver authorities for Navy shipyard workers.

In a time of increasing global threats, our Navy is providing our first line of defense, ensuring that critical national security objectives are met. The civilian workers at our public naval shipyards serve a vital role in this effort, ensuring the continued effectiveness of our Fleet by conducting essential maintenance on our Navy ships and submarines while away from home on long-term TDY assignments. These workers should not have to worry that they may have to pay out of their own pocket for official travel expenses nor spend their valuable time collecting and administering receipts. Additionally, we should afford our dedicated shipyard workers the courtesy of eliminating any undue burden caused by administrative delays associated with the waiver approval processes.

Thank you for your consideration of this important issue, and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,