This resolution authorizes the Select Committee on Intelligence to spend funds, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other agencies to carry out its duties from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027, setting specific expense limits for each period. It also outlines procedures for handling committee expenses and agency contributions related to employee compensation.
Tom Cotton
Senator
AR
This resolution authorizes the Select Committee on Intelligence to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government departments or agencies to support its functions, including holding hearings and conducting investigations, from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It sets specific expense limits for multiple periods and outlines how the committee will handle its expenses and agency contributions, ensuring financial oversight and accountability.
Senate Intel Committee Gets Spending Green Light: Budget Caps and Staffing Rules Set Through 2027
This new Senate resolution basically gives the Select Committee on Intelligence the thumbs-up to spend money, hire people, and borrow staff from other government agencies for the next couple of years. It's all about making sure they have the resources to do their job, which includes holding hearings, conducting investigations, and generally keeping an eye on the intelligence community.
Funding the Watchdogs
The resolution sets out some pretty specific spending limits for the committee:
- March 1, 2025 - September 30, 2025: They can spend up to $5,261,497, with a max of $10,208 for outside consultants.
- October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026: The budget jumps to $9,019,709, and they can spend up to $17,500 on consultants.
- October 1, 2026 - February 28, 2027: They get $3,758,212, with a $7,292 limit on consultant spending.
These caps are there to keep spending in check, while also giving the committee some flexibility to bring in experts when needed. Think of it like setting a budget for a project – you know how much you can spend overall, and you have a separate line item for specialized help.
Show Me the Receipts...Sometimes
Section 3 of the resolution spells out how the committee's expenses will be handled. Most of their spending will be paid from the Senate's "contingent fund" – basically, a pool of money set aside for various Senate activities. The committee chairman has to approve these expenses.
But here's the interesting part: some things don't require vouchers. We're talking about regular stuff like employee salaries, phone bills, office supplies, postage, and copying costs (SEC. 3). It's like having a company credit card for everyday expenses – you don't need to submit a receipt for every single coffee, but you still have to stay within your overall budget.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work (Maybe)
The resolution also allows the committee to tap into expertise from other government agencies. This is a pretty common practice in government – it's like borrowing a specialist from another department to help out on a project. The resolution makes sure that payments for these borrowed employees are handled properly, coming out of the Senate's "Inquiries and Investigations" expense account.
While borrowing staff can be efficient, it'll be important to make sure there's solid oversight. You know, to avoid any potential for misuse of personnel or conflicts of interest. It is the Intelligence Committee, after all.
The Bottom Line
This resolution is mostly about the nuts and bolts of keeping the Senate Intelligence Committee running. It sets the budget, lays out the rules for spending, and allows them to bring in the people they need. Whether you're running a business, managing a household, or overseeing the intelligence community, you need a budget and a plan – and that's what this resolution provides.