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“Congress—and in particular, the House of Representatives—is invested with the “power of the purse,” the ability to tax and spend public money for the national government. Massachusetts’ Elbridge Gerry said at the Federal Constitutional Convention that the House “was more immediately the representatives of the people, and it was a maxim that the people ought to hold the purse-strings.””

For this reason, it has been argued that the Speaker of the US House is the most powerful person in the government, because that person wields so much control over the “power of the purse”. This not only is rooted in the US Constitution, but is rooted in British tradition.
“Power of the Purse
Historical Highlight
July 24, 1789

“All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article…