Judge halts USDA’s reorganization
Por Marcia Brown — POLITICO – TOP Stories
A federal court temporarily halted the Trump administration’s sweeping reorganization of the Agriculture Department late Tuesday, dealing a blow to Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The order from the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California bars officials from moving congressionally appropriated money to fund the reorganization, such as through moving expenses, building closures and other costs.
The court’s move is a victory for federal employees’ unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the AFL-CIO, which sued the government earlier this year. It applies to the the Forest Service; the Food and Nutrition Administration; the Agricultural Research Service, including the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center; the Foreign Agricultural Service; Rural Development; the Office of the General Counsel; the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; as well as the mission areas Research, Education and Economics, and Farm Production and Conservation.
The relief could be short-lived, however. Judge Vince Chhabria, an Obama appointee, noted that the “relevant appropriations statutes are set to expire in less than two months.” The order won’t prevent a reorganization after that if Congress agrees with USDA’s plan.
The order doesn’t prevent USDA from closing offices in the Washington area, such as the South Building, which officials said earlier this year they intend to sell, or from moving employees within the region.
USDA officials have argued that the reorganization, which moves staff to five regional hubs, is intended to move federal staff closer to the people they serve, including farmers.
The vast majority of USDA staff already work out of regional, state or county offices across the country. The reorganization has led some employees to retire early or quit, prompting concerns about a loss of experience and expertise across the department.
A spokesperson for USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fonte: POLITICO – TOP Stories