ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Their work helped put a man on the moon and locate and kill Osama Bin Laden.
Now a spokesperson for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency confirms to KMOX News that their employees have been presented a “fork in the road” deferred resignation offer.
The offer is an attempt by President Donald Trump to shrink the size of the federal workforce and offers employees their salary and benefits through September if they resign their position now.
Later this year, the new NGA St. Louis headquarters in North City is expected to open. Originally it was announced it would host over 31 hundred employees or over 20% of the global NGA workforce.
The spokesperson who confirmed the offer that was being made to NGA employees declined to comment on what impact this would have on the new headquarters.
Missouri U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D), who represents Missouri's 1st congressional district, is urging NGA employees not to accept what he calls a scam and says this offer is dangerous.
"These buyout offers hinge on promises from Elon Musk. These are promises that employees cannot and should not trust," said Bell.
"Cutting experienced personnel from key agencies like NGA in our district risks both our national security and the stability of communities like St. Louis."
Bell says if the federal government pulls the rug out on employees who accept this offer, it might be a tough court battle.
"If one was to accept this buyout offer, federal workers would conceivably waive their rights to legal action." said Bell.
Bell says Congress has not authorized this buyout offer, meaning they might not hold up in court if the promise of salary and benefits is not truthful.
The buyout offer has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.
KMOX reached out to a spokesperson for Missouri U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt and is awaiting a response.