what is a pocket veto

A pocket veto is a legislative maneuver that allows a president or other official with veto power to exercise that power over a bill by taking no action, thus effectively killing the bill without affirmatively vetoing it. If a bill is pocket vetoed while Congress is out of session, the only way for Congress to circumvent the pocket veto is to reintroduce the legislation as a new bill, pass it through both chambers, and present it to the President again for signature. The pocket veto is different from a regular veto, which occurs when the President actively rejects a bill by sending it back to Congress with a veto message. The pocket veto is absolute, meaning that Congress cannot override it. The pocket veto is used when the President does not want to be seen as actively rejecting a bill, but also does not want to sign it into law.