The Appropriations Clause: From the Obama and Trump Administrations to Plan Colombia

This paper explores the Appropriations Clause within the American constitutional design, setting out its importance in efficiently constraining and allocating public power. It, therefore, analyzes political disputes that have involved the Obama and Trump presidencies with Congress, unfolding also joint efforts between public branches as with the approval of Plan Colombia. A substantial content focuses on establishing how the appropriations cycle works, along with how legal approaches such as the Chevron Doctrine shed light on the role of the judiciary in solving disputes between Congress and the Executive to control the power of the purse.