Over the past two decades, Congress has frequently challenged foreign policy decisions and other actions of the President by either denying funding for specific purposes or attaching qualifying conditions to specific appropriation bills for Executive branch agencies. Occasionally, Congress has failed to pass an appropriation bill before the previous one expired at the end of the fiscal year. Does Congress have the exclusive 'power of the purse' for the federal government. Can Congress negate Presidential decisions or shut down the Executive branch by simply not authorizing appropriations. The answer is no. The President may spend money from the general treasury in certain situations without Congressional authorization. This paper examines the constitutional basis for the President's spending prerogatives and the limitations on both the Congress and the President in exercising their respective spending authorities. The Constitutional Framework.
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