What is a presidential veto?

A presidential veto is the President's power to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law unless Congress overrides the veto. The veto power is established by Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution, which sets out the process for how a bill becomes law. When Congress passes a bill, it is sent to the President, who has ten days (excluding Sundays) to act.

Signing the bill turns it into federal law. The President can veto the bill by returning it to the originating chamber with written objections. The President can take no action: if Congress is in session and the President neither signs nor vetoes the bill within ten days, it becomes law without the signature; if Congress adjourns within those ten days, the President's failure to sign acts as a pocket veto, killing the bill.

Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate. Most vetoes stand. Of more than 2,500 vetoes in U.S. history, only about 110 have been overridden. The veto is a significant tool of presidential influence over legislation. Even the threat of a veto can shape what Congress chooses to pass. Presidents often issue Statements of Administration Policy signaling whether they would sign or veto specific bills, allowing congressional leaders to negotiate accordingly.

Different presidents have used the veto in very different ways. George Washington vetoed only two bills during his eight years in office. Andrew Jackson dramatically expanded the use of the veto in the 1830s, including his famous veto of the Bank of the United States bill. Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record for most vetoes (635 across his 12 years), reflecting his lengthy tenure and active legislative engagement. Some Presidents have left office without issuing a single veto, such as Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and James Garfield.

The Supreme Court ruled in Clinton v. City of New York (1998) that the line-item veto, which would have let the President strike specific provisions from spending bills, was unconstitutional. The President must accept or reject a bill in its entirety. The veto power is a key element of the Constitution's checks and balances, giving the executive branch a meaningful role in shaping legislation.