This resolution authorizes the Committee on Finance to spend money, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government entities to fulfill its duties, setting expenditure limits for various periods between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2027, and outlines the payment of committee expenses and authorized agency contributions.
Michael "Mike" Crapo
Senator
ID
This resolution authorizes the Senate Committee on Finance to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government entities to fulfill its duties. It sets specific limits on committee expenses, allocating \$7,638,723 from March 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025, \$13,094,954 from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026 and \$5,456,231 from October 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027, for these activities. The resolution also outlines the procedure for covering committee expenses and lists exceptions for when vouchers (receipts) are not needed.
Senate Finance Committee Gets Green Light for Spending and Staffing Through 2027
This new resolution basically gives the Senate Finance Committee the thumbs-up to spend money, hire staff, and borrow personnel from other government agencies to do its job. It covers the period from March 1, 2025, all the way through February 28, 2027. The main goal? To make sure the committee has what it needs to handle its workload, which includes everything from holding hearings to conducting investigations, as laid out in the Senate's Standing Rules (Section 1).
Dollars and Deadlines
The resolution sets some pretty specific spending limits for different time periods. Here’s the breakdown:
- March 1, 2025 - September 30, 2025: They can spend up to $7,638,723, with caps of $17,500 for consultants and $5,833 for staff training.
- October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026: The budget jumps to $13,094,954, with up to $30,000 for consultants and $10,000 for training.
- October 1, 2026 - February 28, 2027: They get $5,456,231, with $12,500 for consultants and $4,166 for training.
Think of it like a household budget, but on a much larger scale. These limits are in place to keep spending in check (Section 2). For example, if the committee wants to bring in an outside expert on, say, international tax law, they've got a set budget for that.
Follow the Money
Section 3 gets into the nitty-gritty of how the committee's bills get paid. Most expenses will come out of the Senate's "contingent fund" – basically, a shared pot of money. The committee chairman approves these payments, but there are exceptions. Things like annual salaries, phone bills from the Sergeant at Arms, and postage don't require individual vouchers (think of them like pre-approved expenses).
Importantly, the resolution also authorizes payments for "agency contributions." This means that when the committee borrows staff from other government agencies, the Senate can cover certain costs associated with those employees. This is authorized for the same periods as the overall spending limits.
Real-World Implications
While this all sounds like inside baseball, it has real-world implications. The Finance Committee deals with issues that affect everyone, from taxes and trade to healthcare and retirement. Having the resources to properly investigate these issues, bring in experts, and keep staff trained is crucial. However, it also means keeping a close eye on how that money is spent. The limits on consultant fees, for example, are there to prevent potential misuse of funds. The fact that certain expenses don't require vouchers could be a double-edged sword – it streamlines things, but also requires careful oversight to avoid any potential for abuse.