EPISODE VII
THE FORCE AWAKENS

It is a time of darkness.
Luke Skywalker, last of
the legendary Jedi Knights,
has vanished.

Emboldened by the Jedi’s
absence, agents of the
evil FIRST ORDER have
risen from the shadows
of an Imperial fortress
to sow chaos and fear
throughout the vulnerable
New Republic.

Racing against time, a
brave RESISTANCE sworn
to secrecy by the Republic
has sent its daring pilots
across the galaxy, vowing
to find the last Jedi and
restore peace and justice
to the darkening stars…

This may be the best option there is for explaining the relationship between the Senate and the Resistance. Here, the Senate is demanding that the actions of the Resistance be undertaken in secret, but it doesn’t specifically say whether or not the Senate officially condones these actions. Presumably it does but wishes to give the impression of being an impartial party, which tracks with Hux’s statement about it ‘secretly supporting’ the Resistance. At the same time, there’s no mention of actual assistance by the New Republic.

I am also trying to imply here that the Resistance search for Luke is more widespread than just Poe’s mission, though that is the one which leads to results. It makes the galaxy seem bigger.