Most Americans know Congress controls how federal money is spent
Core finding
About three-quarters of Americans (77%) identify Congress as the branch the Constitution gives the power to decide how federal money is spent, according to a June 2026 Verasight survey.
Among the remaining options, 13% say none of the branches listed, 7% point to the president, and 3% to the courts.
Topline distribution
Most Americans know Congress controls how federal money is spent.
Under the U.S. Constitution, which part of government has the power to decide how money is spent?
n = 1,000 · Jun 21, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Jun 21, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | 1 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26
Under the U.S. Constitution, which part of government has the power to decide how money is spent?
Cite this question
Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2026-050, fielded June 21-21, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.