Civics & Government · 9th Grade · The Legislative Branch: The People's House · Weeks 1-9

The Power of the Purse

Analyzing the congressional role in budgeting, taxation, and spending.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Eco.12.9-12
• C3: D2.Civ.5.9-12

About This Topic

The Constitution grants Congress exclusive authority over the federal budget, a design choice rooted in the principle that taxation requires democratic consent. Article I, Section 7 mandates that all revenue bills originate in the House, placing the closest-to-the-people chamber at the center of fiscal decisions. This power extends to appropriations: Congress controls what agencies spend, which programs get funded, and how much debt the government can carry.

Understanding the budget process helps students see federal policy as a set of choices with tradeoffs, not abstract numbers. When Congress allocates more to defense than education, or chooses to run a deficit rather than raise taxes, those decisions reveal the values and pressures shaping national priorities. The national debt -- now exceeding $34 trillion -- and recurring debates over the debt ceiling make this topic immediately relevant to students who will inherit these fiscal realities.

Active learning works especially well here because the budget is inherently a negotiation. Simulations in which students allocate a fixed budget force them to grapple with tradeoffs firsthand, building genuine empathy for the competing demands legislators face. Role-plays and data analysis deepen understanding in ways that lecture cannot replicate.

Key Questions

1. Explain how budget priorities reflect the values of a nation.
2. Analyze the consequences of persistent national deficits and debt.
3. Justify who should have the final say on how taxpayer money is spent.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how specific budget allocations reflect the stated or implied values of the US government.
• Evaluate the potential long-term economic and social consequences of sustained national budget deficits.
• Compare and contrast the arguments for and against different entities (e.g., Congress, President, citizens) having the final authority over federal spending.
• Calculate the impact of a hypothetical tax cut or spending increase on the national debt using provided data.
• Formulate a reasoned argument for a specific national budget priority, justifying the allocation of taxpayer funds.

Before You Start

Introduction to the Three Branches of Government

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to comprehend Congress's specific powers related to finance.

Principles of Taxation and Revenue

Why: Understanding how governments collect money is essential before analyzing how that money is allocated and spent.

Key Vocabulary

Appropriations Bill	A legislative bill that authorizes the government to spend money. Congress passes these bills to fund government programs and agencies.
Budget Deficit	The amount by which the government's expenditures exceed its revenues in a given fiscal year. It is the difference between spending and income.
National Debt	The total amount of money that the federal government owes to its creditors, accumulated over many years from past deficits.
Fiscal Policy	The use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy. Congress and the President make key decisions regarding fiscal policy.
Revenue	The income that a government collects, primarily through taxes, fees, and other charges, to fund its operations and services.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The President writes the federal budget.

What to Teach Instead

The President submits a budget proposal, but Congress holds the actual power to appropriate funds. Congress routinely ignores, amends, or rejects significant portions of the President's proposal. Active learning simulations that put students in the role of legislators make this distinction tangible rather than abstract.

Common Misconception

Running a deficit always means the government is spending irresponsibly.

What to Teach Instead

Deficits are sometimes deliberate policy choices -- economists broadly supported deficit spending during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic to stabilize the economy. The debate is not simply 'deficits bad' but about when, how much, and for what purpose. Data analysis activities help students evaluate context rather than apply blanket rules.

Common Misconception

The debt ceiling prevents the government from spending more money.

What to Teach Instead

The debt ceiling limits borrowing to pay for spending Congress has already authorized. Refusing to raise it does not stop new spending; it risks defaulting on obligations already incurred. Students often conflate authorization and appropriation, which a budget markup simulation helps clarify.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: Congressional Budget Markup

Assign student groups to represent different congressional factions (deficit hawks, social spending advocates, defense hawks, moderates). Give each group a simplified federal budget breakdown and a fixed spending ceiling. Groups negotiate, amend, and vote on a final budget. Debrief by comparing student budgets to the actual federal budget and discussing what drove the differences.

55 min·Small Groups

Data Analysis: What Does the Budget Prioritize?

Provide students with a simplified pie chart of federal spending by category alongside historical comparisons from 1970, 1990, and today. Students identify the three biggest shifts, propose explanations, and then discuss whether the current distribution reflects national values they agree with. Pairs share findings with the class.

30 min·Pairs

Socratic Seminar: Who Should Control the Purse?

Students read two short primary sources -- a Federalist Paper excerpt defending congressional control of spending and a presidential budget message asserting executive priorities -- then hold a structured discussion on whether the current balance of power over the budget is appropriate. Prompt: Has Congress effectively used the power of the purse, or has it ceded too much fiscal authority to the executive branch?

40 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk: National Debt Perspectives

Post six stations around the room, each presenting a different stakeholder perspective on the national debt (a young adult, a retiree, a defense contractor, an economist, a foreign creditor, a social program recipient). Students rotate, annotate sticky notes with reactions, and then synthesize the perspectives in a brief written reflection on who bears the greatest burden of persistent deficits.

35 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Members of Congress, like Representatives and Senators, spend significant time debating and voting on appropriations bills each year. Their decisions directly impact funding for national parks, military readiness, and scientific research.
• The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provides non-partisan analysis of budget proposals and economic trends. Their reports inform lawmakers and the public about the potential effects of fiscal policies on the national debt and economy.
• Taxpayers in your community are directly affected by federal spending decisions. For example, funding for infrastructure projects like roads and bridges, or programs like Pell Grants for higher education, are determined through the congressional budget process.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a short, simplified federal budget summary. Ask them to identify one spending category that represents a specific national value (e.g., defense spending reflects security values) and one category where they believe spending should be increased or decreased, briefly explaining why.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'If you were a member of Congress with a limited budget, how would you balance funding for national defense versus funding for social programs like healthcare or education?' Facilitate a class discussion where students must justify their choices and acknowledge tradeoffs.

Quick Check

Present students with two contrasting news headlines about the national debt or a recent budget debate. Ask them to write down one sentence explaining the core conflict presented in the headlines and one question they have about the issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the power of the purse in Congress?

The power of the purse refers to Congress's constitutional authority to raise taxes, approve government spending, and limit how executive agencies use funds. Article I grants this authority exclusively to the legislative branch, meaning the President cannot spend money that Congress has not appropriated. It is one of Congress's most significant checks on executive power.

How does the federal budget process work step by step?

The President submits a budget proposal in February. Congressional committees then write their own spending bills, negotiate with the Senate, and pass appropriations legislation. If no budget is passed by October 1 (the start of the fiscal year), Congress passes continuing resolutions to fund the government temporarily. The process is often contentious and rarely finished on time.

What happens if the national debt keeps growing?

Persistent deficits increase the national debt, which raises the amount the government spends on interest payments -- money that could otherwise fund programs or tax cuts. If debt grows faster than the economy, it can reduce investor confidence, raise borrowing costs, and limit the government's flexibility during future crises. Economists debate at what level debt becomes unsustainable.

How can active learning help students understand congressional budgeting?

Budget simulations require students to make real tradeoffs -- just like legislators do -- which builds intuition that reading alone cannot provide. When students try to allocate a fixed budget among competing priorities, they quickly realize why the process is contentious. Role-play and negotiation activities also reveal how political coalitions form around fiscal policy.