The once-powerful congressional appropriators, responsible for overseeing government funding, are facing an unprecedented decline in influence as President Donald Trump and his administration take unprecedented control over federal spending. With the executive branch, led by Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk and White House budget director Russ Vought, wielding significant authority over the federal purse strings, lawmakers on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees find themselves increasingly sidelined.
Last week’s passage of a stopgap funding bill through September underscored the diminished role of appropriators, who were once revered as bipartisan dealmakers capable of navigating even the most polarized political landscapes. The rapid push by GOP leaders to enact the temporary funding measure bypassed the traditional appropriations process, leaving many committee members frustrated and marginalized.
Despite the setback, appropriators are determined to reclaim their relevance. Republicans have pledged to return to “regular order” by completing all 12 annual spending bills on time—a feat not achieved since the 1990s. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), an appropriator and member of Senate Republican leadership, warned that “heads will explode” among appropriators if GOP leaders fail to facilitate this return to tradition.
However, the road ahead is fraught with challenges. The Trump administration has already frozen government grants, slashed foreign aid, and dismantled entire offices and agencies, undermining provisions in previously approved funding bills. Lawmakers’ recent acquiescence to a seven-month funding patch, which discarded a year of bipartisan work on spending measures, has further eroded morale among appropriators.
“You’re talking to a pretty discouraged appropriator right now,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a longtime member of the Appropriations Committee.
The administration’s directive to incorporate Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) cuts into the next round of funding bills has only deepened the sense of disillusionment. This move signals a continued shift of power from Congress to the executive branch, leaving appropriators with limited control over the federal budget.
“Almost a total bended knee,” remarked a former Republican appropriator, speaking anonymously to candidly describe the current state of affairs. “The approps members always got on together and protected the power of the purse from all interference. The trifecta changed all that.”
As the September deadline for the next government shutdown looms, appropriators face the daunting task of reconciling their traditional role with the administration’s aggressive spending agenda. The outcome of this struggle will determine whether Congress can reclaim its authority over federal funding or if the era of executive dominance in budgeting will continue.
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