Glossary

Veto override

Congress's power to enact a bill over a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Also called: overriding a veto

A veto override is a vote in which Congress passes a bill despite the president's veto. Article I, Section 7 requires a two-thirds vote of the members present in each chamber, and if both succeed, the bill becomes law without the president's signature.

The process starts in the house where the bill originated. The president's veto message is read, and members vote on whether to reconsider the bill. If two-thirds agree there, it goes to the other chamber for the same vote. The votes are recorded by name. Overrides are difficult because they require substantial support from the president's own party, not only the opposition.

Historically, Congress has overridden only a small share of vetoes, which is part of why a veto threat is a powerful bargaining tool. Overrides are likelier when a president is politically weak or the bill had broad bipartisan support, as with the 2021 defense authorization override of a veto by President Trump, and the 2016 override of President Obama's veto on a law allowing lawsuits against Saudi Arabia over the September 11 attacks. Overrides illustrate how checks and balances work when the two political branches clash. A pocket veto cannot be overridden.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Veto The president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress by returning it unsigned with objections. Pocket veto A veto that occurs when the president does not sign a bill and Congress adjourns, so the bill dies without a chance of override. Checks and balances The constitutional design giving each branch of government ways to limit the others, so that no branch dominates. Line-item veto A power, held by many governors but not the president, to reject individual items in a spending bill while signing the rest.