Which statement correctly describes a pocket veto?

Which statement correctly describes a pocket veto?

• A. It is used to strike down a provision of a bill that the President finds disagreeable.
• B. It may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in Congress.
• C. It occurs when the President takes no action on a bill for ten days during which Congress is adjourned.
• D. It is used when both houses of Congress pass separate versions of the same bill.

Answer: (C)

A pocket veto occurs when the President chooses not to sign a bill into law and Congress is adjourned within ten days of presenting the bill. This is a strategic maneuver that allows the President to effectively “veto” the bill without issuing a formal veto statement. Since Congress is not in session, they cannot do anything to override this inaction. This is significant because it enables the President to avoid taking a public stand on potentially controversial legislation without formally rejecting it. The other options describe different legislative processes. For example, a veto that strikes down a specific provision is not a pocket veto; rather, it is a regular veto where the President actively returns the bill with objections. Additionally, the override of a veto is a separate process that requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress, which does not apply to a pocket veto since it cannot be overridden. Finally, the reference to both houses passing separate versions of a bill pertains to the process of reconciliation, not to pocket vetoes.

A pocket veto occurs when the President chooses not to sign a bill into law and Congress is adjourned within ten days of presenting the bill. This is a strategic maneuver that allows the President to effectively “veto” the bill without issuing a formal veto statement. Since Congress is not in session, they cannot do anything to override this inaction. This is significant because it enables the President to avoid taking a public stand on potentially controversial legislation without formally rejecting it.

The other options describe different legislative processes. For example, a veto that strikes down a specific provision is not a pocket veto; rather, it is a regular veto where the President actively returns the bill with objections. Additionally, the override of a veto is a separate process that requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress, which does not apply to a pocket veto since it cannot be overridden. Finally, the reference to both houses passing separate versions of a bill pertains to the process of reconciliation, not to pocket vetoes.