ZDC CTLR; DISTR BY TMU CTLR; ALLOWS DSNDING B733 TO CONFLICT WITH ENRTE FA20.

Narrative

THE B737 WAS EBOUND AT FL370. THE CPR WAS ISSUED A DIRECT RTE SWBOUND AT FL350. THE B737 NEEDED TO BE AT FL330 FOR THE RECEIVING SECTOR; PER LCL DIRECTIVES. I INTENDED TO DSND THE B737 AS SOON AS THE ACFT ENTERED MY AIRSPACE; TO GET BELOW THE ACFT AT FL350. THERE WERE OTHER SITS WHICH ALSO REQUIRED TIMELY DSCNT CLRNCS. I WAS DISTR BY TMU TO FIX/RERTE ACFT WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED ON A DIRECT RTE FROM PREVIOUS ENRTE CTR SECTOR. WHILE ENGAGING IN ISSUING THE CLRNC AND THE READBACK AND THE DISGRUNTLED PLT'S REMARKS; PRECIOUS TIME WAS LOST. APPROX 1 1/2 MINS WERE SPENT. I ISSUED THE DSCNT CLRNC TO FL330 TO THE B737. I WENT AND GAVE A COUPLE OTHER CLRNCS. THEN I REALIZED THE CONFLICT AND ISSUED VECTORS TO BOTH ACFT; AND TOLD THE B737 TO EXPEDITE DSCNT TO FL330. SEPARATION WAS LOST AT 3.5 MI AND 700 FT. I SHOULD HAVE ISSUED 'EXPEDITE' WITH THE INITIAL DSCNT CLRNC. BETTER YET; I SHOULD HAVE ISSUED DSCNT BEFORE I GOT INVOLVED WITH TMU RERTE. THE B737 RESPONDED TO A TCASII RA AND CLBED TO FL358 BEFORE IT WAS CLR OF TCASII RA; THEN TOOK THE DSCNT TO FL330.