The constitutional text

Article I · Section 7

Select any highlighted phrase to understand what it means.

All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively, If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Source: National Constitution Center edition. Original wording is preserved; commentary explains historical and superseded provisions.

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Article I, Section 7, Clause 2e

Both chambers can overcome the veto

Current text
by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law.

What it means

If the second chamber also approves the returned bill by two-thirds, it becomes law. The President’s disapproval is therefore qualified by a sufficiently broad congressional coalition.

Historical setting

The founders did not give the President an absolute power to stop legislation. The override route preserves Congress’s capacity to legislate despite executive opposition while requiring renewed support in both chambers.

What it does

The law takes effect through the constitutional override process without needing the President’s later agreement. Both votes concern the bill under reconsideration, not permission for one chamber to enact a different text independently.

Debate & interpretation

The process balances an energetic executive check against the danger of executive domination. It also makes the composition of each chamber consequential, because overwhelming support in one cannot compensate for insufficient support in the other.

A common misreading

Congress does not add the two chambers’ votes together and test whether the combined total reaches two-thirds.

Think it through

Why require a supermajority in each chamber separately rather than across Congress as one combined body?

Follow the connection

Sources & further reading

Original Madison Center commentary. Explanations distinguish the text, historical context, and interpretive disagreements.

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