Veto (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms

Veto

A veto is the disapproval by the president of a bill or joint resolution passed by Congress (other than a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment).

After both chambers of Congress have passed a bill, it is enrolled, then is sent to the president for his action. Under the Constitution (Article. I. Section. 7.), the president has 10 days (not including Sundays) to approve the bill. When the ten-day period (excluding Sundays) extends beyond the date of the adjournment of the Congress, and the president does not sign the bill prior to the expiration of that period, it fails to become law. This is known as a pocket veto.

More often, if the president disapproves of a bill, he actively vetoes it and returns it to the chamber of origin without his approval, along with his objections to the bill — known as his “veto message.” If Congress does not act to override the veto, the bill dies.

Also see

• Congress by the Numbers
• Pocket Veto
• Override a Veto
• Congressional Procedure
• § 6.292, Vetoes and Veto Overrides: Presidential Clout, in Congressional Deskbook
• Chapter 6.G. The President; in Congressional Procedure

More

• Presidential Veto Messages – USA.gov
• Congress by the Numbers
• Summary of Bills Vetoed, 1789-present – Senate
• “Presidential Vetoes, 1989–2000,” Compiled by the Senate Library, October 2001, S. Pub. 107–10 (61-page PDF)
• “Veto Override Procedure in the House and Senate,” CRS Report RS22654 (9-page PDF)
• “The Presidential Veto and Congressional Procedure,” CRS Report RS21750 (6-page PDF)
• “Regular Vetoes and Pocket Vetoes: An Overview,” CRS Report RS22188 (6-page PDF)

Courses

• Congressional Operations Briefing – Capitol Hill Workshop
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Publications

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Pocket Constitution

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates

Congressional Procedure

CongressionalGlossary.com, from TheCapitol.Net