What is a veto and who has the power to veto?

• A. A veto is the Supreme Court's power to strike down laws; the Congress has it
• B. A veto is a governor's authority to approve state laws
• C. A veto is the President’s rejection of a bill; the President has the power to veto
• D. A veto is the Vice President's right to overrule a bill

Answer: (C)

A veto is the executive branch’s ability to reject a bill that Congress has passed, preventing it from becoming law unless Congress overrides the decision. The President has this power at the federal level, meaning after a bill is sent to the White House, the President can choose to sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed, the bill returns to Congress, where both chambers can try to override the veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. This setup creates a check on legislative power, giving the President a voice in what laws actually get enacted. It’s also useful to know that the Supreme Court doesn’t veto laws; it can strike them down as unconstitutional through judicial review. At the state level, governors have veto power over state bills, but the Vice President does not have a veto authority.