In theory, Congress is a separate and coequal branch of the United States government. The U.S. Constitution, the American republic’s most sacred document, vests extraordinary power in the men and women who occupy seats in the legislature, including writing laws and establishing the tax code, funding federal agencies, and overseeing how the executive branch implements policy. The founders were enlightened enough to realize that power is both intoxicating and corrupting, and it is best spread out over several competing players to ensure everybody in the system is kept honest.