Political vocabulary & government processes · Article 14 of 20 · United States
Veto
An executive check on legislation.
What the term means
A presidential veto rejects legislation presented after congressional passage. Congress can override a regular veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.
How it works in practice
The veto is not a general power to cancel laws already enacted. The Constitution also provides rules for bills not signed within the prescribed period, including circumstances involving adjournment.
A concrete example
A president may veto a spending bill over its policy conditions, forcing Congress to negotiate or attempt an override.
What to examine next
Ask whether the action is a veto, a threatened veto or an administrative decision under existing law.
Next: Executive order.