power of the purse

1. The influence that legislatures have over public policy because of their power to vote money for public purposes. The United States Congress must authorize the president's budget requests to fund agencies and programs of the executive branch. (See appropriation.)

Example Sentences

That is Article I, Section 9—the bedrock of Congress’s power of the purse.

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The power of the purse doesn’t belong to presidents.

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He explained: "The president's circumvention of Congress' power of the purse has been left unchecked by the Supreme Court. Checks and balances must be maintained."

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"The expansion of executive power, undermining of Congress' power of the purse, offensives on independent and counter-veiling institutions and the media, as well as purging and dismantling of state institutions – classic strategies of autocratisers – seem to be in action," its latest report, released in March, found.

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Constitutionally and by custom, Congress has the power of the purse.

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