The power of the purse is one of Congress’s core constitutional authorities. Congress exercises this power through budget statutes and procedures that govern how funds are appropriated and spending legislation is enacted. Additional laws further constrain executive discretion in using those funds.
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This series of brief reports explores key aspects of the federal budget process—from scoring to execution—that shape how Congress makes spending decisions and how the executive branch carries them out. Co-Equal aims to clarify these mechanisms to support a deeper understanding of how congressional spending authority works in practice.