Congress, not the president, decides on government spending − a constitutional law professor explains how the ‘power of the purse’ works

Congress has the authority to spend the nation's money. Presidents try to get around that limitation. ATU Images-The Image Bank/Getty Images

Because 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.

I’m a law professor who has written about Congress’ power of the purse and some of the legal and constitutional issues that surround it. Here’s a brief explanation of the concept – and of why you should care about it.