The Origination Clause posted by Gerard Magliocca Article I,
Section 7, clause 1 provides that “[a]all bills for raising
revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the
Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills.”
This rule was carried over from the practice in Parliament,
though in a much weaker form. The Glorious Revolution
established a constitutional custom that the House of Lords
could not propose or concur with amendments to revenue bills
from the House of Commons. When the Lords rejected that
limitation in in the early twentieth century, the threat of
Lords-packing was used to end their absolute veto over all
legislation. (Under the current version of the Parliament Act,
revenue bills are still privileged — the Lords can delay all
other legislation for up to a year but can only hold up revenue
bills for a month.) Imagine a world when the House of
Representatives had exclusive power over taxes and spending!