Congress last overrode a presidential veto in January 2021, when both chambers voted by overwhelming bipartisan margins to pass the National Defense Authorization Act over President Trump''s objection. The House voted 322-87 and the Senate 81-13, easily clearing the two-thirds threshold required in each chamber.
Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution gives Congress this check on presidential power: if the president vetoes a bill, Congress can still make it law by mustering a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. The override vote must happen sequentially, with the originating chamber voting first. If that chamber fails to reach two-thirds, the other chamber cannot even vote. Throughout history, Congress has overridden only about 7% of all presidential vetoes, making successful overrides relatively rare. The process forces lawmakers to build broad bipartisan coalitions, since no party typically controls two-thirds of either chamber.
The override power is Congress's ultimate check on the president. It forces the president to negotiate or accept defeat on major legislation. Without this power, presidents could block any bill, making Congress irrelevant.
People often think Congress can override any veto. In practice, building a two-thirds supermajority is extremely difficult. Only about 7% of presidential vetoes get overridden, making them highly partisan and rare.
The override power is Congress's ultimate check on the president. It forces the president to negotiate or accept defeat on major legislation. Without this power, presidents could block any bill, making Congress irrelevant.
People often think Congress can override any veto. In practice, building a two-thirds supermajority is extremely difficult. Only about 7% of presidential vetoes get overridden, making them highly partisan and rare.