The Introduction of the District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act

Floor Speech

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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