What is the term for a presidential veto when the president does not sign a bill and Congress has adjourned, effectively killing the bill without a formal veto?

• A. Veto
• B. Pocket veto
• C. Override
• D. Line-item veto

Answer: (B)

Pocket veto is the term for a presidential veto when Congress has adjourned and the president does not sign. Because the session is over, there’s no time left for Congress to review or override the decision, so the bill dies without a formal veto being issued. The ten-day rule matters here: if Congress is in session, the president must sign or veto within ten days; if Congress adjourns during that period, the bill cannot become law. This differs from a regular veto, where the president actively rejects and returns the bill for possible override. It’s not a line-item veto, which targets specific provisions, and it isn’t an override.