Receive information about any
changes to Congress for Kids and the other seven
sites in The Dirksen Center's Web suite!
If a bill passes both houses by a 2/3 majority the first time around, does it still go to the President's desk? If so, can he still veto it, forcing it to pass through both houses again at 2/3rds? Or would a bill that passed both houses the first time by 2/3rd or more become law immediately, without going to the President's desk, even ceremonially?
When we're talking about 50% and 2/3rds majority, is that ALL the members of Congress, or just the ones who are present when the voting is done? For example, if it wasn't a very controversial bill and only 20 senators were on the floor that day, could it be passed by a vote of merely 11? Same question for the house.
The word veto does not appear in the United States Constitution, but Article I requires every bill, order, resolution, or other act of legislation by the Congress of the United States to be presented to the President of the United States for his approval.
Share opinions about recent policies and/or measures enacted by your school.
Learn about the veto history of President Bush and other U.S. presidents by reading and discussing the article "Bush’s Record: One Veto, Many No’s."
Construct arguments and hold votes on a school-related issue.
Write a letter to the "president" responding to the veto of the measure in question.