The commission shall have authority to appoint, prescribe the duties, and fix the salaries of, a secretary, a chief engineer, a general counsel, a solicitor, and a chief accountant; and may, subject to the civil service laws, appoint such other officers and employees as are necessary in the execution of its functions and fix their salaries in accordance with chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5. The commission may request the President to detail an officer or officers from the Corps of Engineers, or other branches of the United States Army, to serve the commission as engineer officer or officers, or in any other capacity, in field work outside the seat of government, their duties to be prescribed by the commission; and such detail is authorized. The President may also, at the request of the commission, detail, assign, or transfer to the commission, engineers in or under the Departments of the Interior or Agriculture for field work outside the seat of government under the direction of the commission.

The commission may make such expenditures (including expenditures for rent and personal services at the seat of government and elsewhere, for law books, periodicals, and books of reference, and for printing and binding) as are necessary to execute its functions. Expenditures by the commission shall be allowed and paid upon the presentation of itemized vouchers therefor, approved by the chairman of the commission or by such other member or officer as may be authorized by the commission for that purpose subject to applicable regulations under chapters 1 to 11 of title 40 and division C (except sections 3302, 3306(f), 3307(e), 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4104, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41.