[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 101 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS AND PUBLIC DEFENDER 
          SERVICE VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2014

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia 
Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive 
Payments Act. The bill would make a minor change to the authorities of 
the District of Columbia Courts (D.C. Courts) and the Public Defender 
Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), placing these entities in 
the same position as their federal counterparts for more effective 
management and operation.
  This bill would give the D.C. Courts and PDS authority to offer 
voluntary separation incentive payments, or buyouts to their employees. 
Buyouts would allow the D.C. Courts and PDS to respond to their future 
administrative and budget needs. The sequester and other budgetary 
pressures are a factor in the need to offer employees who are eligible 
for retirement the incentive to retire. The D.C. Courts and PDS would 
like the flexibility to extend such offers to their employees. In 
particular, many of the jobs that the D.C. Courts are trying to fill 
require specialized skill sets and buyout authority would help to make 
the administration and operations of the court more effective and 
efficient.
  The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has held that 
voluntary separation incentive payments may be made only where 
statutorily authorized. While federal agencies and federal courts have 
the statutory authority to offer buyouts, PDS and the D.C. Courts have 
not been expressly permitted to provide these types of payments to 
their employees. PDS and the D.C. Courts seek the same buyout authority 
in order to manage their workforce as budget conditions and needs 
change.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

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