UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Salaries and Expenses

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT REQUIREMENTS

Mandatory Discretionary Total

Total Fiscal Year 2019 Assumed Appropriation $2,087,000 $19,450,000 $21,537,000

Total Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriation Request $2,099,000 $19,930,000 $22,029,000

Total Requested Increase from Fiscal Year 2019 Assumed Appropriation $12,000 $480,000 $492,000

APPROPRIATION LANGUAGE

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 For salaries of officers and employees of the court, services, and

necessary expenses of the court, as authorized by law, [$19,450,000]$19,930,000.

 In addition, there are appropriated such sums as may be necessary under

current law for the salaries of the chief judge and judges of the court.

(H.R. 6147 - Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019, 

updated to reflect the judiciary's fiscal year 2019 assumed appropriation)

 3.1
Fiscal Year 2020 Resource Requirements:

FTE Amount FTE Amount FTE Amount

Fiscal Year 2019 Assumed Obligations .................................................................. 9 2,087 68 20,461 77 22,548

Utilization of Electronic Public Access Receipts and Judiciary Information Technology Fund Balances - - - (1,011) - (1,011)

Fiscal Year 2019 Assumed Appropriation 9 2,087 68 19,450 77 21,537

Page 

No. Adjustments to Base to Maintain Current Services:

A. Judges

 Pay and benefit cost adjustments

3.9 1. Annualization of assumed 2019 pay adjustment (1.4% for three months) ............................. - 7 - - - 7

3.9 2. Benefits increases

 a. Health benefits increase.......................................................................... 2 - - - 2

 b. FICA adjustment................................................................................. 3 - - - 3

B. Court Support Personnel and Programs

 Pay and benefit cost adjustments

3.10 3. Annualization of assumed 2019 pay adjustment (1.9% for three months) ........................... - - - 32 - 32

3.10 4. Promotions and within-grade increases................................................................ - - - 50 - 50

3.10 5. Benefits increases -

 a. Health benefits increase.......................................................................... - - - 27 - 27

 b. FICA adjustment................................................................................. - - - 3 - 3

 c. FERS adjustment................................................................................. - - - 119 - 119

3.11 6. One more compensable day............................................................................ - - - 35 - 35

Mandatory Discretionary Total

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

FISCAL YEAR 2020

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 3.2
FTE Amount FTE Amount FTE Amount

C. Other Adjustments

3.11 7. Inflationary increases in charges for contracts, services, supplies, and equipment - - - 30 - 30

3.11 8. GSA rent increase............................................................................. - - - 174 - 174

3.11 - - - 10 - 10

Subtotal, Adjustments to Base to Maintain Current Services........................................ - 12 - 480 - 492

Total Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriation Required........................................................ 9 2,099 68 19,930 77 22,029

Financing the Fiscal Year 2020 Request:

Total Appropriation Required, Fiscal Year 2020.................................................. 9 2,099 68 19,930 77 22,029

3.12 Utilization of Electronic Public Access Receipts and Judiciary Information Technology Fund Balances - - - 432 - 432

Total Estimated Obligations, Fiscal Year 2020.................................................. 9 2,099 68 20,362 77 22,461

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 9. Increases in FPS basic/building specific security surcharges..........................

 General Inflationary Adjustments

Mandatory Discretionary Total

FISCAL YEAR 2020

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 3.3
Fiscal Year 2019

Assumed

Fiscal Year 2018 Obligations/ Fiscal Year 2020

Actual Appropriation Request

Salaries and Expenses, Total Obligations 21,102 22,548 22,461

Unobligated Balance, Start of Year 

Judiciary Information Technology Fund (1,054) (1,379) (400)

Prior year recoveries (87)

New Deposits (1,169) - -

Unobligated Balance, End of Year

Judiciary Information Technology Fund 1,379 400 -

Total Direct Obligations 20,172 21,569 22,061

Unobligated Balance, expiring 339 - -

Available Appropriation 20,511 21,569 22,061

Less offsets from:

 Electronic Public Access (31) (32) (32)

Appropriation Required (Direct) - Total 20,480 21,537 22,029

Appropriation Required - Mandatory 1,591 2,087 2,099

Appropriation Required - Discretionary 18,889 19,450 19,930

Fiscal Year 2019

Fiscal Year 2018 Assumed Fiscal Year 2020

Actual Obligations Request

11 Personnel compensation 6,861 8,625 8,740

12 Personnel benefits 1,865 2,424 2,586

21 Travel 103 105 102

22 Transportation of things 16 20 20

23 Rent, communications and utilities

Rental payments to GSA 7,321 8,677 8,851

Communications, utilities & misc. charges 94 30 20

24 Printing and reproduction 2 8 8

25 Other services 2,664 1,503 1,348

25.3 Building specific security surcharge 483 500 510

26 Supplies and materials 62 56 41

31 Equipment 432 568 202

91 Undefined Disbursements1 1,200 32 32

Total obligations2 21,102 22,548 22,461

1/ Deposited into JITF fund

2/ Includes JITF obligations of $930,000 in fiscal year 2018, $979,000 in fiscal year 2019, and $432,000 in fiscal year 2020.

Description

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Obligations by Activity ($000)

Object Classification ($000)

Activity

 3.4
Fiscal Year 2019

Fiscal Year 2018 Assumed Fiscal Year 2020 Difference

Actual Obligations Request (+) or (-)

Obligations incurred, net 20,172 22,548 22,461 (87)

Obligated balance, start of year 9,697 9,361 9,922 561

Adjustment of prior year activity (107) (113) (114) (1)

Obligated balance, end of year (9,361) (9,922) (9,941) (19)

Total Outlays 20,401 21,874 22,328 454

Less Judicary Information

Technology Fund Obligations (930) (979) (432) 547

Net Outlays 19,471 20,895 21,896 1,001

Fiscal Year 2019

Fiscal Year 2018 Assumed Fiscal Year 2020 Difference

Actual FTE Request (+) or (-)

Total compensable workyears:

 Full-time equivalent employment 60 77 77 0

Personnel Summary

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Salaries & Expenses

Relation of Obligations to Outlays ($000)

3.5
3.6

UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Summary of Mandatory Costs

Fiscal Year 2019 Fiscal Year 2020

Increase

($000)

No. of Judgeships

Compensation and 

Benefits

($000) No. of Judgeships

Compensation and 

Benefits

($000)

Article III Judges 9 2,087 9 2,099 12
3.7

GENERAL STATEMENT AND INFORMATION

The United States Court of International Trade (the Court), with nine authorized Article III judgeships, has exclusive nationwide 

jurisdiction of civil actions against the United States, its agencies and officers, and certain civil actions brought by the United States, 

arising out of import transactions and the administration and enforcement of the federal customs and international trade laws. In 

keeping with its national jurisdiction, sessions of the Court may be held throughout the country.

The estimates under this title are to provide for the salaries of the judges and supporting personnel of the Court of International Trade, 

located in Manhattan, New York, and the necessary operating expenses of the Court. These operating expenses include internal 

courthouse security, Federal Protective Service (FPS) surcharges for basic and building-specific security services, GSA rent charges, 

travel, equipment maintenance contracts, cyclical maintenance of and upgrades to facilities, printing and binding, general office 

supplies, purchase of new/replacement office equipment and furniture, repair of existing equipment and furniture, access to legal 

research data bases, and acquisition and maintenance of legal reference materials.

The FY 2020 request for the Court of International Trade totals $22,029,000 to support the operations of the Court at a current 

services level. The request includes $2,099,000 for mandatory appropriations and $19,930,000 for discretionary appropriations.

FISCAL YEAR 2019 APPROPRIATIONS ASSUMPTION

In the absence of enacted full year FY 2019 appropriations, the judiciary had to make funding assumptions in order to construct a 

FY 2020 budget request. The judiciary built the FY 2020 discretionary budget request for the U.S. Court of International Trade 

assuming the FY 2019 House and Senate mark level, which is $19,450,000. This amount maintains current services in FY 2019.

For bill language, the judiciary used the language from H.R. 6147, the House-passed FY 2019 Financial Services and General 

Government appropriations bill, updated with the assumed funding level as described above, as the closest approximation of eventual 

enacted FY 2019 appropriations language.

After full year FY 2019 appropriations are enacted, the judiciary will re-estimate its FY 2020 budget request and transmit to the 

Appropriations Committees any changes to FY 2020 appropriations requirements and language.
3.8

The table below provides caseload data of the Court for 

FY 2013 through FY 2018.

Civil Action Cases

Pending Pending

Fiscal Beginning End

Year of Year Received Decided of Year

2013 2,222 461 414 2,269

2014 2,269 301 544 2,026

2015 2,026 390 385 2,031

2016 2,031 270 489 1,812

2017 1,812 313 448 1,677

2018 1,677 242 428 1,491
3.9

JUSTIFICATION OF CHANGES

The FY 2020 budget request for the Court includes $2,099,000 

for mandatory appropriations and $19,930,000 for 

discretionary appropriations. The discretionary request is a 

2.5 percent increase over the FY 2019 appropriations 

assumption of $19,450,000. The total increase reflects only 

the necessary adjustments to base to maintain current services. 

The Court requests no program increases for FY 2020. 

ADJUSTMENTS TO BASE TO MAINTAIN CURRENT 

SERVICES

The following narrative provides information and justification 

for each of the adjustments to base for the Court.

A. JUDGES

1. Annualization of assumed 2019 pay adjustment

Mandatory Increase: $7,000

The requested increase provides for the annualized costs of an 

assumed 2019 pay adjustment associated with the Employment 

Cost Index (ECI). Based on the FY 2019 appropriations 

action to date, federal pay rates for judges are assumed to 

increase by 1.4 percent, effective as of January 2019. The 

requested increase provides for the cost of three months (from 

October 2019 to December 2019) of the assumed 2019 pay 

increase in FY 2020. (If Congress ultimately does not enact a 

2019 pay adjustment for federal civilian workers, or if one is 

provided at a rate different than 1.4 percent for ECI, the 

judiciary will revise this line item in a FY 2020 budget reestimate.)

2. Benefits increases

a. Health benefits

Mandatory Increase: $2,000

Based on information from the Office of Personnel 

Management, health benefit premium contributions are 

projected to increase by an average of 1.2 percent both in 

January 2019 and January 2020. The requested increase 

annualizes the 2019 premium increase, and includes a ninemonth provision for the increase anticipated for FY 2020.

b. FICA adjustment 

Mandatory Increase: $3,000

Based on information from the Social Security Administration, 

employer contributions to the Old Age, Survivor, and 

Disability Insurance (OASDI) portion of the FICA tax will 

increase in 2019. The salary cap for OASDI increased from 

$128,400 to $132,900 in January 2019. The requested 
3.10

amount is needed to pay the Court’s contribution in FY 2020.

B. PERSONNEL

Pay and Benefit Adjustments

3. Annualization of assumed 2019 pay adjustment

Requested Increase: $32,000

The requested increase provides for the annualized costs of an 

assumed 2019 pay adjustment for Employment Cost Index 

(ECI) and locality pay. Based on the FY 2019 approprations 

action to date, federal pay rates are assumed to increase by an 

average of 1.9 percent, effective as of January 2019. The 

requested increase provides for the cost of three months (from 

October 2019 to December 2019) of the assumed 2019 pay 

increase in FY 2020. (If Congress ultimately does not enact a 

2019 pay adjustment for federal civilian workers, or if one is 

provided at a rate different than 1.9 percent, the judiciary will 

revise this line item in a FY 2020 budget re-estimate.)

4. Promotions and within-grade increases

Requested Increase: $50,000

The requested increase provides for promotions and withingrade increases for personnel. The salary plan for judicial 

support personnel provides for periodic within-grade increases 

for staff who receive at least a satisfactory performance rating.

5. Benefits increases

a. Health benefits 

Requested Increase: $27,000

Based on information from the Office of Personnel 

Management, health benefit premium contributions are 

projected to increase by an average of 1.2 percent both in 

January 2019 and January 2020. The requested increase 

annualizes the 2019 premium increase, and includes a ninemonth provision for the increase anticipated for FY 2020.

b. FICA adjustment

Requested Increase: $3,000

Based on information from the Social Security Administration, 

employer contributions to the Old Age, Survivor, and 

Disability Insurance (OASDI) portion of the FICA tax will 

increase in 2019. The salary cap for OASDI increased from 

$128,400 to $132,900 in January 2019. The requested 

amount is needed to pay the Court’s contribution in FY 2020.
3.11

c. FERS adjustment

Requested Increase: $119,000

Consistent with guidance from the Office of Management and 

Budget, funds are requested for an increase in the agency

contribution rate to Federal Employee Retirement System 

(FERS) plans for FY 2020. For most employees, the agency 

contribution rate will increase from 13.7 percent to 16.0 

percent. Any FERS increase is in accordance with revised 

estimates of the cost of providing benefits by the Board of 

Actuaries of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability 

System. 

6. One more compensable day

Requested Increase: $35,000

There is one more compensable day in FY 2020 than in 

FY 2019. The requested amount increases personnel 

compensation and benefits associated with one more 

compensable day for biweekly paid employees.

C. OTHER ADJUSTMENTS

General Inflationary Adjustments

7. Inflationary increases in charges for contracts, 

services, supplies, and equipment

Requested Increase: $30,000

Consistent with guidance from the Office of Management and 

Budget, this request of $30,000 is required to fund inflationary 

increases of 2.0 percent for operating expenses such as travel, 

communications, printing, contractual services, supplies and 

materials, and furniture and equipment.

8. Inflationary increase in GSA space rental costs

Requested Increase: $174,000

This request represents an inflationary increase of $174,000 in 

the cost of GSA space rental charges for FY 2020.
3.12

9. Increases in Federal Protective Service (FPS) 

basic/building specific security surcharges

Requested Increase: $10,000

Based on the Department of Homeland Security’s FPS

estimate, an additional $10,000 is needed to pay for increases 

in basic and building specific security surcharge costs in 

FY 2020. The building specific security surcharges provide 

for the Court’s pro rata share of installing, operating, and 

maintaining the enhanced security for the Federal Complex in 

lower Manhattan.

FINANCING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 REQUEST

Utilization of Electronic Public Access Receipts and the 

Judiciary Information Technology Fund

Estimated Obligations: $432,000

At the beginning of FY 2019, $1,411,000 was available in 

carry forward balances from the Judiciary Information 

Technology Fund, including $32,000 from Electronic Public 

Access receipts. Of this amount, the Court is planning to use 

$979,000 during FY 2019 to:

• continue to contract for IT security services to enhance 

the Court’s cybersecurity program; 

• upgrade the Court’s primary core switch;

• upgrade the Court’s software maintenance and licensing 

of existing software applications for major 

requirements, such as Microsoft and Linux;

• continue to maintain and support the video 

conferencing system, digital recording system, data 

network and voice connections, Virtual Private 

Network System, Voice Over Internet Protocol, and 

Judiciary Data Communications Network; and

• purchase computer desktop systems, monitors, laptops, 

tablets, and printers, according to the judiciary=s 

cyclical replacement program.

At the beginning of FY 2020, the Court anticipates that 

$432,000 will be available in carry forward balance into the 

Judiciary Information Technology Fund, including $32,000 of 

EPA receipts. These funds will be used to continue the 

Court’s information technology initiatives as described above 

and to support the short term and long term information 

technology needs.