As scholars examine executive power in democracies around the world, the legislative branch’s power to ensure execution of its laws takes center stage. This paper explores ex post influence in United States federal spending, that is, the president’s ability to deviate from adopted policy during the implementation process. 

Kevin Angell is a Ph.D. student in the University of Chicago’s Program in Political Economy. His research interests are primarily focused on empirical analysis of United States legislative, executive, and bureaucratic politics. He is also interested in the role of businesses in shaping political participation. Kevin worked as a data scientist prior to entering graduate school and was awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow Program in 2024 (NSF GRFP).