President Trump has signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, which includes an immediate repeal of the authority to prescribe a reduced flat rate per diem for long-term temporary duty (TDY) travel. As such, flat rate per diem for long term TDY (+30 days) shall only apply for travel through midnight on August 12, 2018. As August 13, 2018, normal per diem rules, including the following, apply:
- Lodging receipts are required for all lodging payments
- The actual cost of lodging not to exceed the full locality lodging per diem rate will be paid
- The full meals and incidental expense (M&IE) will no longer be reduced by 75% or 55%
Upon signature by the President, the Flat Rate Per Diem policy no longer applies as cited in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), pars. 020303 and 020309. An official change to the JTR is forthcoming and will be retroactive back to the date the NDAA was signed. Once approved, it will be posted to the DTMO website under “Immediate JTR Changes”. (https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/changesjtr.cfm), on the “Notable Policy Changes” (https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/Notable_Policy_Changes.cfm) webpage.
