((a)) In order to enable the Vice President to provide assistance to the President in connection with the performance of functions specially assigned to the Vice President by the President in the discharge of executive duties and responsibilities, the Vice President is authorized—

((1)) without regard to any other provision of law regulating the employment or compensation of persons in the Government service, to appoint and fix the pay of not more than—

((A)) 5 employees at rates not to exceed the rate of basic pay then currently paid for level II of the Executive Schedule of ; and in addition

((B)) 3 employees at rates not to exceed the rate of basic pay then currently paid for level III of the Executive Schedule of ; and in addition

((C)) 3 employees at rates not to exceed the maximum rate of basic pay then currently paid for GS–18 of the General Schedule of ; and in addition

((D)) such number of other employees as he may determine to be appropriate at rates not to exceed the minimum rate of basic pay then currently paid for GS–16 of the General Schedule of ; and

((2)) to procure, as provided in appropriation Acts, temporary or intermittent services of experts and consultants, as described in and in accordance with the first two sentences of , at respective daily rates of pay for individuals which are not more than the daily equivalent of the rate of basic pay then currently paid for level II of the Executive Schedule of .

((b)) In order to carry out the executive duties and responsibilities referred to in subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated each fiscal year to the Vice President such sums as may be necessary for—

((1)) the official expenses of the Office of the Vice President;

((2)) the official entertainment expenses of the Vice President; and

((3)) the subsistence expenses of persons in the Government service while traveling on official business in connection with the travel of the Vice President.

((c)) Assistance and services authorized pursuant to this section to the Vice President are authorized to be provided to the spouse of the Vice President in connection with assistance provided by such spouse to the Vice President in the discharge of the Vice President’s executive duties and responsibilities. If the Vice President does not have a spouse, such assistance and services may be provided for such purposes to a member of the Vice President’s family whom the Vice President designates.