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Presidential Veto Facts & Worksheets

Presidential veto is the power vested to the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevent its enactment into law.

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Presidential veto is the power vested to the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevent its enactment into law.

See the fact file below for more information on the Presidential Veto or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Presidential Veto worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DEFINITION AND PURPOSES OF VETO

  • The word “veto” means “I forbid” in Latin.
  • It originated with the Roman offices of consul and tribune of the plebs in the 6th century BCE. It enabled the tribunes to protect the interests of the common citizenry from the patricians, who dominated the Senate.
  • They could also use the veto to prevent a bill from being brought before the plebeian assembly.
  • The consuls also had the power of veto against each other, as decision-making generally required the assent of both consuls.
  • It was an essential Roman force of law wielded to manage state affairs and moderate and restrict the power of the state’s high officials and institutions.
  • Generally, veto allows the head of state to “check” the lawmakers by reviewing acts passed and by blocking those they find unconstitutional, unjust, or unwise.
  • A veto can be absolute or it can be limited when the law provides that the the lawmaking body can override such within a definite requirement.
  • For constitutional designers, the principle of veto power was to restrain the power of the elected representatives of the people.
  • Applying the doctrine of the separation of powers, the legislative (lawmakers) should be separated from the executive (administration of laws) and judicial (interpreters).
  • However, veto power is one of the exclusive ways the three main branches of government interact and restrain one another.

VETO: AFFECTING THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF PRESIDENT

  • As a means to protect the constitution: Protect against unconstitutional legislations or that has not been enacted in with proper constitutional procedure.
  • As a protection against harmful policies and corruption: Used by presidents to prevent the passage of legislation that may be objectionable.
  • Veto as a tool of presidential leadership: Promotes influence and acts as a bargaining chip to pursue their policy agenda.

PRESIDENTIAL VETOES

  • Philippines – The constitution gives the power to the President to refuse to sign a bill within 30 days of receipt. He can veto specific provisions without affecting other provisions on the same bill or refuse the entire provisions.
  • However, the Congress can still override the veto via a two-thirds vote with both houses (House of Representatives and the Senate) voting separately, after which the bill becomes law.
    • House of Representatives
    • House of Senate
  • India – The president has three veto powers: absolute, suspension, and pocket:
    • Absolute – Refusal to sign the bill
    • Suspension – Sending back the bill to the parliament for changes but it will still become a law after 14 days of reconsideration
    • Pocket – Inaction to the bill submitted
  • South Korea – The president can veto bills subject to a two-thirds majority veto override by the National Assembly. If the latter votes against the president’s decision, the veto will be declared void immediately.
  • Brazil – The president can veto even the bill they introduce, mostly due to the amendments made by the congress.
  • Ghana – The president is qualified to veto all bills except those to which a vote of urgency is attached.
  • United States – Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution gives the president the authority to reject legislation passed by the houses of Congress.
    • If they do not approve of the bill and choose not to sign, they may return it within 10 days to the US Congress.
    • However, the Congress can still override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
    • When the president returns the piece of legislation, it is usually accompanied with a memorandum explaining why they are rejecting the bill, known as a “veto message”.
    • Once they have sent a bill back to Congress, the Congress may refuse to return it if they change their mind and ask for it back.
    • As of 2014, US presidents had vetoed more than 2,500 bills but Congress had overridden less than 5% of those vetoes.
    • In US, the first president to exercise the veto was George Washington in 1792. The first time a US president’s veto was overridden was in 1945 when the Congress overrode John Tyler’s veto.
    • As of 2020, US President Donald Trump has vetoed eight bills.

Presidential Veto Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Presidential Veto across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Presidential Veto worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Presidential Veto which is the power vested to the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevent its enactment into law.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Checks and Balances
  • Presidential Powers
  • President’s Seal
  • Veto Powers
  • Real Veto
  • What to Veto
  • Local Veto
  • House Rules
  • Pass a Law
  • Veto Wordfind

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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