An original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
This is a Senate-original resolution authorizing expenditures for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. It authorizes the committee, from March 1, 2025 through February 28, 2027, to use the Senate contingent fund, hire staff, and—with prior consent of relevant government departments and the Rules and Administration Committee—utilize the services of personnel from other agencies on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis. The resolution sets specific spending ceilings for three time periods and allows agency contributions to cover compensation for committee employees during those periods. The overall purpose is to ensure the committee can carry out its duties (hearings, investigations, reporting) with adequate staffing and external expertise, while keeping spending within defined limits. Key spending limits are established for three periods: (1) March 1, 2025–September 30, 2025, up to $5,141,314 (including up to $11,666 for consultants and up to $875 for staff training); (2) October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026, up to $8,813,681 (including up to $20,000 for consultants and up to $1,500 for staff training); and (3) October 1, 2026–February 28, 2027, up to $3,672,367 (including up to $8,334 for consultants and up to $625 for staff training). It also provides for certain payments to be made without vouchers, such as salaries, telecommunications, stationery, certain postal and copying costs, and certain Senate services.
Key Points
- 1General authority and scope: The committee is authorized to spend from the Senate contingent fund, hire personnel, and obtain services from other departments or agencies with prior consent, for the period March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2027.
- 2Explicit spending caps by period:
- 3- Mar 1, 2025–Sept 30, 2025: up to $5,141,314 total; up to $11,666 for consultants; up to $875 for staff training.
- 4- Oct 1, 2025–Sept 30, 2026: up to $8,813,681 total; up to $20,000 for consultants; up to $1,500 for staff training.
- 5- Oct 1, 2026–Feb 28, 2027: up to $3,672,367 total; up to $8,334 for consultants; up to $625 for staff training.
- 6Voucher exemptions: Most expenses require vouchers, but certain items do not (e.g., salaries at annual rate, telecom, stationery, Postmaster payments, copying charges, Senate Recording/Photographic Services, and franked/mass mail costs).
- 7Agency contributions: The resolution authorizes the appropriation of funds from the Senate’s “Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations” account to cover agency contributions related to the committee’s employee compensation for the specified periods.
- 8Reimbursable vs nonreimbursable services: The committee may use services from other government departments or agencies on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, with prior consent of the relevant department/agency and the Rules and Administration Committee.