What is a pocket veto?

• A. When the President Does Not Sign a Bill and Congress Adjourns Before the 10-Day Period
• B. When the President Signs a Bill Into Law and It Becomes Immediately Effective
• C. When Congress Passes a Bill Over the President's Veto
• D. When the President Issues a Signing Statement Alongside a Bill

Answer: (A)

Pocket veto happens when the President leaves a bill unsigned and Congress adjourns within the ten-day period, so the bill dies and does not become law. This lets the President block the measure without issuing a formal veto, because there’s no opportunity to return the bill with a veto message. If Congress stays in session and the ten days pass, the bill becomes law without a signature. This is different from signing a bill into law, or from a veto that Congress overrides, and it’s not about signing statements.