A History (and Future) of the Budget Process in the United States: Budget by Fire

The United States has one of the most unique budgeting processes of any modern government. The “powers of the purse” are enumerated under the Constitution, but they were hotly debated by the nation’s founding fathers. However, the lack of a legal guide for exactly how to delegate the powers, and under what conditions, has led to a process marked by power struggles—primarily between Congress and the presidency—over the last 230 years. Still, the budget and appropriations process is central t...