Congress, not the president, decides on government spending − a constitutional law professor explains how the ‘power of the purse’ works
- Written by Zachary Price, Associate Professor of Law, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Congress has the authority to spend the nation's money. Presidents try to get around that limitation.ATU Images-The Image Bank/Getty ImagesBecause of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut staff and spending, Congress’ “power of the purse” has been in the news lately. Many of these actions have been challenged in court.
