V  E  T  O






<PRE>

      In its most general application, the power of the chief executive of a
government to negative the acts and resolutions of the legislature. There
are several forms and degrees of veto power, namely, the suspensive,
qualified, and absolute vetoes, and the so-called "pocket" veto. The
suspensive veto is the form employed in France, where the President is
empowered to suspend the operation of any law passed by the legislature and
demand its reconsideration by that body. If, however, the bill is repassed
by the ordinary majority it becomes a valid law, notwithstanding the
disapproval of the President. The qualified veto is the form most generally
employed in constitutional States. It allows the executive a negative on all
bills  passed by the legislature, subject to the power of the legislature to
override the effect of the veto by an extraordinary majority. The absolute
veto is one which cannot be overridden by the legislature either by the
usual or extraordinary majority. The "pocket" veto will be defined later in
the article.

     In the Constitutional Convention of 1787 Gerry introduced the principle
of the Massachusetts veto and after much discussion it was ultimately
adopted. The clause provides that every bill which shall have passed the two
Houses shall be presented to the President for his signature; if he approves
it he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it with his objections to
the House in which  it originated. The two Houses are then required to enter
the objections upon their respective journals and proceed to reconsider it.
If after such reconsideration two-thirds of each House  shall approve the
measure it shall become law, notwithstanding the executive veto. If any bill
is not returned by the President within ten days (Sundays not included)
after presentation to him  it shall become law without his signature unless
Congress by adjournment prevent its return. This is the so-called "pocket"
veto.

           President Cleveland during his first term vetoed 301 bills, or
nearly twice as many as had all his predecessors combined.
     The majority of President Cleveland's vetoes were private pension bills
which had passed with little or no opposition, and only two of these were
passed over his veto.


Source:   The New International  Encyclopaedia
Publisher:  Dodd, Mead and Company--New York
Copyright:  1902-1905        Total of 21 volumes

Transcribed by Miriam Medina
<a href="/Women/Military/Veto/index.html"><font color="black">Return to VETO Main</font></a>
<a href="/Women/index.html"><font color="red">Return to WOMEN Main</font></a>
<a href="/Military/index.html"><font color="green">Return to MILITARY Main</font></a>
<a href="/index.html"><font color="blue">Return to BROOKLYN Main</font></a>