VETO - Action the President or a Governor
takes to prevent enactment of a bill passed by Congress
or state Legislature.
This is a Latin word signifying, I forbid.
It is usually applied to the power of the president
of the United States to negative a bill which has passed
both branches of the legislature. The act of refusing
to sign such a bill, and the message which is sent to
congress assigning the reasons for a refusal to sign
it, are each called a veto.
When a bill is engrossed, and has received the sanction
of both houses, it is transmitted to the president for
his approbation. If he approves of it, he signs it.
If he does not, he sends it, with his objections, to
the house in which it originated, and that house enter
the objections on their journals, and proceed to reconsider
the bill.
The governors of the several states have generally
a negative on the acts of the legislature. When exercised
with due caution, the veto power is some additional
security against inconsiderate and hasty legislation,
or where bills have passed through prejudice or want
of due reflection. It was, however, mainly intended
as a weapon in the hands of the chief magistrate to
defend the executive department from encroachment and
usurpation, as well as a just balance of the constitution.
The veto power of the British sovereign has not been
exercised for more than a century. It was exercised
once during the, reign of Queen Anne. But anciently
the king frequently replied Le roy s'avisera, which
was in effect withholding his assent. In France the
king had the initiative of all laws, but not the veto.
