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The History of the Presidential Veto

The Presidential veto is a power granted to the President of the United States by the Constitution, which allows the President to reject a bill passed by Congress. The veto power is found in Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution, and states that the President "shall have Power to return a Bill vetoed by him with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated."

The veto power was included in the Constitution as a way to ensure a balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. It gives the President a way to block legislation that they believe is unconstitutional or would harm the country in some way.

The history of the Presidential veto dates back to the country's founding. George Washington used the veto power on two occasions during his presidency. He vetoed a bill that would have created a national bank, which he believed was unconstitutional, and a bill that would have provided compensation to Revolutionary War veterans, which he believed was too costly.

The use of veto power in the early years of the country was rare, but as the government grew more complex, it became more prevalent. Andrew Johnson was the first President to extensively use it, vetoing 15 times during his presidency. In the 20th century, Presidents utilized it more often, with Franklin D. Roosevelt set a record by using it 635 times during his presidency. 

Today Presidents have continued to use the veto power to block legislation that they believe is unconstitutional or would harm the country. However, Congress can override a Presidential veto by passing the bill again with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are a few types of presidential vetoes. 

1. Regular Veto or Line Item Veto: A regular veto occurs when the President returns the legislation to the house in which it originated, usually with a message explaining the rationale for the veto. This veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.

2. Pocket Veto:  an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.


The veto power is an important tool for ensuring a balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government.