Eleanor Holmes Norton: “Again, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) and especially Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings for…”

“Again, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) and especially Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings for working together and with me to move this bill to the floor today. This bill, the District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act, as amended, would make a minor change to the authorities of the District of Columbia courts and the Public Defender Service by placing these entities in the same position as their Federal counterparts for more effective management and operation. The bill would give the D.C. courts and PDS the same authority Federal agencies and Federal courts already have to offer voluntary separation incentive payments, or buyouts, to their employees. The fiscal year 2016 omnibus bill already gives D.C. courts buyout authority. But my bill would make this authorization permanent--so I don't have to keep coming back to this floor on such a minor administrative matter--and it would extend it to PDS, in addition to the courts. Buyouts would allow the D.C. courts and PDS to respond to their future administrative and budget needs and would provide the flexibility to extend buyout offers to their employees. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has determined that voluntary separation incentive payments may be made only where statutorily authorized.…”