Congress has many powers, but it also has a number of informal powers that can be just as effective. These informal powers are the abilities of congress to influence the actions of the president and the executive branch. These powers include the power of the purse, the power of public opinion, and the power of investigations.
The power of the purse is perhaps Congress’ most important formal power. It allows it to decide how much money is spent on various government programs, including military spending. The president may be able to veto any legislation that Congress passes in order to prevent certain expenditures from occurring, but this does not mean that it will stop these expenditures from happening altogether. Instead, it just means that he or she won’t be able to spend as much money as he or she would like on them.
Public opinion is another important informal power that Congress wields over presidents and their administrations. This informal power can be used in two ways: either by changing public opinion directly or by influencing members of Congress who represent districts or states with different views than yours.
Investigations are another way in which Congress influences presidential policymaking through informal means rather than formal ones such as impeachment hearings or votes on legislation.
