No override
A pocket veto is absolute — Congress cannot vote to override it because the bill never formally returns.
In plain English
If Congress goes home before the President's 10-day window to sign a bill runs out, the President can kill it by simply doing nothing.
Example
Presidents have pocket-vetoed more than a thousand bills in U.S. history; unlike a regular veto, Congress gets no chance to override.
Why it matters
What the term actually changes.
End-of-session leverage
Bills passed in a session's final days are uniquely vulnerable, giving the President quiet power over late legislation.
How it works
The mechanics, in practice.
The 10-day clock
The President has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to sign or veto a bill once it arrives.
Adjournment trigger
If Congress adjourns during that window and the President does nothing, the bill dies instead of becoming law.
Related guide
What is judicial review?
Judicial review is the power American courts use to decide whether a law or government action violates the Constitution.
Read the guide → Related issue brief
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