What does the 'power of the purse' refer to?

What does the 'power of the purse' refer to?

• A. The President's power to veto laws
• B. The states' power to tax imports
• C. Congress's power to tax and spend; appropriations authority
• D. The Supreme Court's control over budgets

Answer: (C)

The power to control money in government is the ability to tax and spend, with Congress having the sole authority to raise revenue and appropriation funds for programs. This means fiscal decisions—what gets funded, how much, and for what purposes—are determined through appropriations bills passed by Congress. That control serves as a major check on policy, because funding levels can directly enable or block policies, regardless of other branches’ proposals. The President can propose budgets and veto laws, but he cannot unilaterally decide how money is spent. The Supreme Court and the states don’t control federal funding decisions. So the best answer highlights Congress’s power to tax and spend and its appropriations authority.