Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                         Washington, D.C. 20405
 
 
 
                        _______________________
 
                             June 24, 1998
                        _______________________
 
 
                            GSBCA 14570-RELO
 
 
                    In the Matter of GARY J. ROSSIO
 
 
        Gary J. Rossio, Poway, CA, Claimant.
 
        Almetta  W.  Moore,  Chief,  Financial  Operations  Service,
   Financial  Services  Center,   Department  of  Veterans  Affairs,
   Austin, TX, appearing for Department of Veterans Affairs.
 
   DeGRAFF, Board Judge.
 
        Gary J. Rossio is an  employee of the Department of Veterans
   Affairs  (DVA).   In 1994,  the DVA  transferred Mr.  Rossio from
   California to Massachusetts  and Mr. Rossio paid to  ship his van
   to Massachusetts.   In May  1996, the DVA transferred  Mr. Rossio
   from Massachusetts  back to  California and he  paid to  ship the
   same  van  back to  California.    Mr. Rossio  asked the  DVA  to
   reimburse him for  his shipping costs and the  DVA decided not to
   pay  those  costs.    Mr. Rossio  asks  us  to  review the  DVA s
   decision.
 
        The DVA correctly determined not to reimburse Mr. Rossio for
   shipping  his  van.     Agencies  can  reimburse   employees  for
   relocation expenses  only as authorized  by statute.   Not  until
   September  1996, did  Congress  amend  the  relevant  statute  to
   provide that agencies  are authorized to reimburse  employees for
   the  cost of  transporting a  privately  owned vehicle  to a  new
   official station, under certain conditions.  5 U.S.C.A.   5727(c)
   (West Supp.  1998).  This statutory provision,  however, does not
   authorize the DVA  to reimburse Mr. Rossio for  his costs because
   Congress specified that the provision  would take effect 180 days
   after September 23, 1996,  and both  of Mr.  Rossio s moves  took
   place  well before  then.   Pub. L.  No. 104-201,    1725(a), 110
   Stat. 2752, 2760 (1996).
 
        We deny the claim.
   __________________________________
 
                                      MARTHA H. DeGRAFF
                                      Board Judge