GENERAL COUNSEL'S OPINION NUMBER 59-6

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-05844A000100070008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2000
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: October 12, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 20006fiYQB C1a-TjM - 0070008-6
GENERAL COUNSEL'S OPINION NUMBER. 59-6, DATED 12 OCTOBER 1959
In order that they may be reimbursed for items of household equip-
ment purchased for use in quarters overseas, employees must comply
p
strictly with regulatory and other requirements referred to herein.
TO THE CHIEF, FINANCE DIVISION
1. We have your memorandum of 25 September concerning expenditures
25X1A under for certain items of household equipment. You indicate
that there is uncertainty among some field officials as to which items
may, and whichmay not, be purchased with station funds. Among those
about which doubt has been expressed are electric plugs and light bulbs,
cup hooks, can openers, napkins, bed sheets, pillowcases, towels, Bannis-
ters, waste tins, soap dishes, hangers, and dusters.
2. We are informed that most of these purchases are made by individ-
uals who are nominal lessees, as covered by paragraph lOd of the regula-
tion. These employees, when making such purchases, act as legal agents of
the station, just as they do when leasing the quarters. They may only be
reimbursed for authorized expenditures incurred on behalf of the Government
and therefore they must not only comply with the regulations but must meet
conditions necessary to the perfection of the status of legal agent, mainly
authorization by a proper official to perform the task on behalf of the
station. The items listed appear to be covered by the language of Section
3. It is the opinion of the Office of General Counsel that reimburse-
ment, under for miscellaneous small household items may only be
made when the following conditions have been met:
and for convenience we quote the applicable portion of
"Furniture, furnishings, and equipment to be procured by the
Organization and supplied to Organization personnel in accordance
with the policy set forth in paragraph lc shall be in accordance
with the Table of Allowances of Furniture and Furnishings set
forth in Attachment, 1. Except in the case of nonhousekeeping
quarters, the Table of Allowances does not include linens, blankets,
dishes, kitchen utensils or any of the other innumerable items of
personal effects and household equipment. However, in this connection,
Responsible Field Officials are authorized to maintain small stocks of
pots, pans, dishes, silverware, etc., for loan to employees until their
personal effects arrive at the station. . . .""
(a) The items must truly have been purchased, with proper
prior authorization, for the purpose of supplying the station's
small stock of items as described in paragraph Sb.
REV CLASSC-__F LV CCOED_______.__ 5UT 3 HR 70-8
that paragraph:
Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP78-05844A000100070008-6
 Approved For [*ease.--. 5/U6 CIA-RDP78- 5844J0100070008-6
pp
Page 2 - General Counsel's Opinion No. 59-6
(b) The items must have been non-expendables of the general type
specified in the regulation (pots, pans, dishes, silverware).
(c) The items must have been purchased for use of the employee
only until his household effects arrived, and must have been, or
must be intended to be, returned to the station immediately there-
after.
4. We think compliance with the intent of requires a very
strict construction of paragraph 8b with the concommitant close scrutiny by
authorizing officials and certifying officers of expenditures made under the
authority of this paragraph.
LAWRENCE R. HOUSTON
General Counsel
SECMrT-