Travel Reform Team Honored

Anyone who has traveled on business for the federal government gave a great sigh of relief in September when several important travel reforms were enacted in a major legislative package passed by Congress.

The group that recommended the changes adopted in the legislation was rewarded Tuesday for its efforts with a Hammer Award from Vice President Al Gore.

Elaine Kamarck, the vice president's chief of staff, presented the award to the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP), the interagency group that suggested ways to revamp federal travel. The General Services Administration estimates the group's recommendations will save the government $785 million per year.

"This effort is clearly a magnificent example of what a team can accomplish," Kamarck said Tuesday at the JFMIP conference in Arlington, Va. "The reengineering efforts of this team make life more reasonable for federal employees as they travel or relocate, which means they can be less hassled and more productive."

JFMIP has been working on travel reforms since 1994. Their suggestions included eliminating excessive reporting for long-distance calls and expense reimbursement, revamping relocation policy and changing the rules for shipping privately-owned vehicles.

Government Executive is monitoring the status of all the JFMIP recommendations, including those not covered in the Federal Travel Reform Act, and posting updates in our online Federal Travel Sourcebook.