PUBLIC LAW 103-354—OCT. 13, 1994 108 STAT. 3211 (e) EXHAUSTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person shall exhaust all administrative appeal procedures established by the Secretary or required by law before the person may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction agsiinst— (1) the Secretary; (2) the Department; or (3) an agency, office, officer, or employee of the Department. SEC. 213. REDUCTIONS IN NUMBER OF DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. 7 USC 6913. (a) DEFINITIONS.— For purposes of this section: (1) HEADQUARTERS OFFICES.— The term **headg[uarters offices", with respect to agencies, offices, or other administrative units of the Department, means the offices, functions, and employee positions that are located or performed— (A) in Washington, District of Columbia; or (B) in such other locations as are identified by the Secretary for purposes of this section. (2) FIELD STRUCTURE.—The term "field structure" means the offices, functions, and employee positions of all agencies, offices, or other administrative units of the Department, other than the headquarters offices, except that the term does not include State, county, or sirea committees established under section 8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5)). The term includes the physical and geographic locations of such agencies, offices, or other administrative units. (b) NUMBER OF REDUCTIONS REQUIRED. —The Secretary shall achieve Federal employee reductions of at least 7,500 staff years within the Department by the end of fiscal year 1999. Reductions in the number of fuU-time equivalent positions within the Department achieved under section 5 of the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-226; 108 Stat. 115; 5 U.S.C. 3101 note) shall be counted toward the employee reductions required under this section. (c) EMPHASIS ON HEADQUARTERS OFFICES REDUCTIONS. —In achieving the employee reductions required by subsection G)), the Secretary shall pursue a goal so that the percentage of the total niunber of employee staff years reduced in headquarters offices is at least twice the percentage of the total number of employee staff years reduced in the field structure. (d) SCHEDULE. — The personnel reductions in headquarters offices and in the field structure should be accomplished concurrentiy in a manner determined by the Secretary. SEC. 214. CONSOLIDATION OF HEADQUARTERS OFFICES. 7 USC 6914. Subject to the avaUabiHty of appropriated funds for this purpose, the Secretary shall develop and carry out a plan to consoUdate offices located in Washington, District of Columbia, of agencies, offices, and other administrative units of the Department. SEC. 215. COMBINATION OF FIELD OFFICES. 7 USC 6915. (a) COMBINATION OF OFFICES REQUIRED.—Where practicable and to the extent consistent with efficient, effective, and improved service, the Secretary shall combine field offices of agencies within the Department to reduce personnel and duplicative overhead expenses. 79-194 0-95 -19:QL3Part4
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