Veto means the Constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body. Presidential veto is considered as a significant tool that the Presidents have. By exercising this power, the President can stop not all but most popular bill or joint resolution from becoming law against the Presidential wish.
As per the Constitution of United States of America every Bill which is passed in the House of Representatives and Senate shall before it becomes law be presented to the President of the United States of America.
The President can respond to a bill passed by the Congress in three ways namely:
- Sign It – The President has ten days (excluding Sundays) to sign a bill passed by the Congress.
- Veto It- The President returns the bill to the house in which it originated, usually with a message explaining the rationale for the veto i.e., the reason for objecting the bill. This veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the houses of the Congress. In case, it is overridden then the bill becomes law despite the President’s objection.
- Do nothing about it- If any Bill is not returned by the President within ten days (excluding Sundays) after it is presented to him then the same shall become law in the manner as if it is signed by the President.
A pocket veto occurs when the Congress adjourns during the ten-day period within which the President has to sign the bill. The President cannot return the bill to Congress and the President’s decision to not sign the legislation is a pocket veto as in such a situation the Congress does not have the opportunity to override it and this bill cannot become a law as it cannot be overridden by the two third majority.
In the United States of America the veto power of the President is one of the legal power which can be used by the President to turn down or rather reject particular bills from becoming law.
Reversing the veto is at times difficult for the Congress as once vetoed then the bill must be repassed by two thirds majority in both the Houses of Congress. The Veto power can stop a bill from becoming law. The President generally returns the bill to the House in which it originated usually with a message explaining the reason for vetoing the bill. Though initially the use of veto power was rare but with time Presidents of the United States have used the veto power and overriding these vetoes has not been an easy task for the Congress.
The Presidential Veto is one of the chief legal powers that the President has in relation with the Congress. A veto occurs when the President returns the bill to the House in which it originated with a message explaining the reason for the veto and this veto can be overridden only by two thirds majority in both the Houses of Congress. Thus, the veto power can stop the bill from becoming law.
The President has ten days excluding Sundays to sign a bill that has been passed by the Congress and as per the Constitution of the United States of America, a bill that is passed by the Congress can take effect only after it is presented to the President for approval. Thus, Veto power is one of the chief legal weapon of the President of the United States of America.