Veto
the power which one branch of the Legislature of a State has to negative the resolutions of another branch; or the right of the executive branch of government, such as king, president, or governor, to reject the bills, measures, or resolutions proposed by the Legislature. In Great Britain the power of the crown is confined to a veto, a right of rejecting and not resolving, and even this right is rarely exercised, the last occasion being in 1707.
In the United States the President gress, but after that right has been ex- ercised the rejected bill may become law may veto all measures passed by Conercised the rejected bill may become law by being passed by two-thirds of each of the Houses of Congress. If the President fails to return the bill in 10 days, Sundays excepted, it becomes a law as if he had signed it. If, however, Congress adjourns within 10 days after the passage of a bill and the President has refrained from acting on the bill, it does not become a law; the disposal of a bill in this way, when the President does not choose to veto it formally, is termed a "pocket veto." The earlier Presidents seldom exercised the veto power. Up to Jackson's administration it had been used but nine times-twice by Washington, six times by Madison and once by Monroe. Jackson vetoed nine bills. Up to Johnson's administration no bill had been passed over a veto; but then a large majority in each House was opposed to the President's policy, and the bills which he vetoed were usually repassed by the necessary two-thirds vote and became laws in spite of him. President Hayes sent to Congress a large VEUILLOT number of vetoes, including those of a bill to restrict Chinese immigration and several appropriation bills with riders attached.
President Cleveland vetoed a larger number of bills than all the previous Presidents collectively, but the greater number of these were private pension bills.