The pocket rescission is just the latest — and perhaps, most egregious — attempt to take unilateral control of spending decisions. Protecting Congress’ spending power provides a foundation for lawmakers to engage in good-faith, bipartisan negotiations and, ultimately, means protecting the ability of everyday Americans to influence what happens in their communities. The Constitution dictates that the power to appropriate public funds rests with Congress, the branch closest to the people. All the while, the administration was ramping up illegal funding freezes, contract cancellations and grant pauses, directing spending power away from Congress and toward White House priorities. By passing the Congressional Power of the Purse Act, which was introduced earlier this month and designed to give Congress additional tools to check executive branch power when it comes to spending, they can stop this federal overreach in its tracks.