Norton Introduces Bill to Allow D.C. Courts and D.C. Public Defender Service to Offer Buyouts to Employees

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to provide the District of Columbia Courts and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia with the same authority that federal courts and federal agencies have to offer voluntary separation incentive payments, or buyouts, to its employees. Norton's bill is part of her efforts to improve the operations of the parts of the local justice system in D.C. that are under federal control.

In her introductory statement, Norton writes: "Congress has provided this authority to the D.C. Courts and PDS on an annual basis in the last several appropriations bills. However, this bill would make this authority permanent. This authority would give the D.C. Courts and PDS additional flexibility to respond to administrative and budgetary needs."

Norton's introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on

the Introduction of the District of Columbia Courts and

Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act

September 9, 2024

Today, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act. This bill, which the House passed in the 114^th Congress, would make a small but important change to the authority of the District of Columbia Courts (D.C. Courts) and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), giving them the same authority federal agencies and federal courts already have to offer voluntary separation incentive payments, or buyouts, to their employees.

Congress has provided this authority to the D.C. Courts and PDS on an annual basis in the last several appropriations bills. However, this bill would make this authority permanent. This authority would give the D.C. Courts and PDS additional flexibility to respond to administrative and budgetary needs.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has opined that voluntary separation incentive payments may be made only when statutorily authorized. Federal agencies and federal courts already have permanent statutory authority to offer buyouts, and there is no reason why the D.C. Courts and PDS, which are both exclusively federally funded, should not have this permanent statutory authority.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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