Travel Expenses for Medical Treatment

An overseas employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) claimed reimbursement of travel expenses to obtain medical treatment. The claimant was permanently assigned to Caracus, Venezuela, and traveled from Caracus to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in order to receive medical treatment for pain in the upper portion of his back. The legal attache in Caracus authorized appropriated funds and Government Transportation Requests to purchase the employee's air transportation. Since there was no specific statutory authorization for payment of medical travel for overseas employees of the FBI, Government funds may not be used to pay for such travel. The claimant may not be reimbursed for the travel expenses incurred by his wife from Caracus to Oklahoma City in order to be with the claimant since there is no basis for payment of the employee's travel expenses and no evidence that the spouse's absence would have resulted in great personal hardship for the employee.