Is that a veto in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

October 17, 2006 10:34 AM

I just wanted to check this. Didn't Bush pocket veto the "interrogation bill?" And if he didn't, why didn't that happen? (more inside)

The basic background facts are (I checked the dates via Google News):

The Military Commissions Act of 2006 passed the Congress on September 29.

Congress adjourned on September 30.

Bush signed law October 17.

However:

If a bill is not signed within ten days (Sundays excepted) and Congress is adjourned, it is automatically vetoed (Constitution, Article, Section 7). Or to quote: "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. "

The constitution is pretty rigid. . . or am I missing something?

posted by dances_with_sneetches to Law & Government (4 answers total)

Best answer: The bill wasn't presented to the President until 10/10--there's often a lot of administrative stuff that needs to happen between passage and presentation.
posted by MrMoonPie at 10:38 AM on October 17, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks. A quick and decisive answer.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 11:02 AM on October 17, 2006

In fact...
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 12:08 PM on October 17, 2006

If your question is meant to get at whether this new law is now the law of the land, you may find this relevant:
"After approving the bill last Friday, Bush issued a 'signing statement'... This means Bush believes he can waive the restrictions, the White House and legal specialists said."
posted by mistersix at 1:23 PM on October 17, 2006