Executive Approval and the Veto Power

The Last Gatekeeper

In most political systems, the executive is the final actor in the legislative process. In the United States, the President has ten days (excluding Sundays) to sign a bill, veto it, or let it become law without signature. A veto returns the bill to Congress, where it can only be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both chambers — a threshold so high that fewer than 10% of vetoes have been overridden in American history.

The veto is not just a reactive power. The mere threat of a veto shapes legislation before it reaches the President's desk. When the White House issues a Statement of Administration Policy warning that the President will veto a bill unless specific changes are made, Congress often complies. The veto power's greatest influence is exercised silently, through anticipation rather than action.

Executive Roles Around the World

Not all executives have veto power. In the United Kingdom, royal assent is technically required for all legislation, but the monarch has not refused assent since Queen Anne in 1708. The Prime Minister's power over legislation comes not from a veto but from controlling the parliamentary majority.

France's semi-presidential system gives the President the power to ask Parliament to reconsider a law but not to veto it outright. India's President can withhold assent or return a bill for reconsideration, but if Parliament passes it again, assent becomes obligatory. In the US, a 'pocket veto' occurs when the President takes no action on a bill within the ten-day window and Congress has adjourned — the bill dies without a recorded veto that Congress could override.

The Politics of Override

Overriding a veto requires two-thirds of both chambers — 290 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate. This is an extraordinarily high bar. In practice, overrides only succeed when a bill has overwhelming bipartisan support and the veto is seen as politically indefensible. Congress overrode President Obama only once in eight years (the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act in 2016), and even then, several senators who voted to override later admitted they had not fully understood the bill's implications.

In parliamentary systems, the override dynamic is different. A prime minister who consistently vetoes or blocks popular legislation risks a vote of no confidence. The executive and legislative majority are fused, so the real battles happen within the governing party's caucus rather than between branches.

Worked Example: The Override of JASTA (2016)

Presidential vetoes are rarely overridden — but it does happen. In 2016, Congress passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which allowed families of 9/11 victims to sue foreign governments alleged to have supported the attacks.

• The veto: President Obama vetoed the bill on September 23, 2016, warning it could expose US officials and forces abroad to reciprocal lawsuits.
• The override votes: Just days later, on September 28, 2016, the Senate voted 97-1 and the House voted 348-77 to override — far above the two-thirds thresholds of 67 and 290.
• The result: JASTA became law over the President's objection — the only successful veto override of Obama's eight years in office.

Two-thirds of both chambers is a very high bar, which is why fewer than 10% of vetoes are ever overridden. JASTA cleared it because the bill was overwhelmingly popular and, in an election year, a 'no' vote was politically costly. The episode shows that the veto is a strong check — but not an absolute one.