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Module IV Critical Thinking Question

Veto and Pocket Veto

A veto is a formal power that enables a president, governor, or other official to reject a

legislative bill. A pocket veto is a veto that occurs when a president or other official declines to

sign a bill into law and instead returns it to Congress, preventing it from becoming law (Murse).

One of the key differences between a veto and a pocket veto is that a pocket veto can

only be used if the proposed law has not been passed by the legislature. If the legislature has

passed the proposed law, the head of state must veto it.

Additionally, a veto can only happen when Congress is in session and has passed a bill. A

pocket veto can happen anytime, even when Congress is not in session. Congress can also

override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate. There is no

such override possible for a pocket veto.

Furthermore, the president must also notify Congress of a veto, typically in writing.

There is no such notification required for a pocket veto. The president must provide a written

explanation of a veto to Congress. There is no such explanation required for a pocket veto.

Finally, a pocket veto is often seen as a more extreme form of veto than a regular veto.

This is because a pocket veto can be used to prevent a law from ever taking effect, while a

regular veto can only delay the implementation of a law.

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Works Cited

Murse, Tom. “What Is a Pocket Veto and Why Does It Drive Congress Nuts?” ThoughtCo, 29

Mar. 2020, www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-pocket-veto-3368112.