An original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
This resolution (S. Res. 74) authorizes expenditures by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs for a defined period—from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It gives the committee authority to spend from the Senate contingent fund, hire staff, and, with the prior consent of relevant government departments or agencies and the Rules and Administration Committee, obtain services from other agencies on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis. The resolution sets three spending windows with caps on total costs and specific limits for consultants and staff training, and it authorizes agency contributions toward the committee’s employee compensation. In short, it provides a structured budget and flexibility for the committee to conduct hearings, investigations, and reporting related to veterans’ affairs over the three-year window.
Key Points
- 1Time-limited authorization: Grants the Committee on Veterans' Affairs authority to spend and operate from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2027.
- 2Funding source and flexibility: expenditures come from the Senate contingent fund; the committee can recruit staff and, with consent, use personnel from other departments or agencies on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis.
- 3Spending caps by period:
- 4- March 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025: up to $2,673,928 total; up to $58,000 for consultants; up to $40,000 for staff training.
- 5- October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026: up to $4,583,876 total; up to $100,000 for consultants; up to $70,000 for staff training.
- 6- October 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027: up to $1,909,948 total; up to $42,000 for consultants; up to $30,000 for staff training.
- 7Expenses and payment rules: Most committee expenses are paid from the contingent fund via vouchers approved by the committee chair, with several routine items exempt from voucher requirements (e.g., salaries at annual rate, certain telecommunications, stationery, mail, copying services, and related costs).
- 8Agency contributions: The Senate’s appropriations account for “Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations” may cover portions of the committee’s employee compensation for the specified periods (2025 Q3, 2026, and 2027).