Which statement lists key responsibilities when managing official travel funds (per diem, lodging, and transportation) in CSS Block 2?

• A. Maintain personal travel data only, ignoring receipts.
• B. Reconcile budget without tracking per diem and lodging.
• C. Track authorized allowances, verify receipts, ensure compliance with rules, and reconcile expenses with the budget.
• D. Allocate funds to unrelated categories without receipts.

Answer: (C)

Managing official travel funds hinges on keeping tight control over how money for per diem, lodging, and transportation is spent. The best approach is to track what’s authorized for each trip, verify receipts where required, ensure every expense follows the applicable rules, and reconcile actual expenditures with the budget. Tracking authorized allowances keeps you within approved limits; verifying receipts provides solid evidence and supports reimbursements; following rules protects against policy violations and waste; and reconciling with the budget shows whether spending aligns with the plan and helps catch discrepancies early. Other approaches fall short because they skip essential controls—ignoring receipts, failing to track per diem and lodging, or allocating funds without proper documentation—undermining accountability and accuracy.