Other Measures Advance

Among bills progressing in Congress recently were: the House civil service subcommittee has approved HR-1151, which would put into law provisions of a Clinton administration executive order generally requiring that agencies in the national capital area grant employees up to $100 a month in cash value using public transit to commute to and from work; that subcommittee also approved HR-2751, to create new personnel flexibilities at the General Accounting Office, including a pay-for-performance system and permanent buyout and early retirement authorities; and the House Science Committee approved HR-1085 to give NASA greater personnel flexibilities, including making wider use of recruitment and retention payments, paying higher salaries for critical positions, offering buyout payments of up to half of the employee’s salary in limited circumstances, and making term appointments for up to six years, two years longer than the government-wide standard.