Presidential Approval

Approval by the President (Legislative Process)

The President is not restricted to signing a bill on a day when Congress is in session.1 He may sign within ten days (Sundays excepted) after the bill is presented to him, even if that period extends beyond the date of the final adjournment of Congress.2 His duty in case of approval of a measure is merely to sign it. He need not write on the bill the word “approved” nor the date. If no date appears on the face of the roll, the Court may ascertain the fact by resort to any source of information capable of furnishing a satisfactory answer.3 A bill becomes a law on the date of its approval by the President.4 When no time is fixed by the act it is effective from the date of its approval,5 which usually is taken to be the first moment of the day, fractions of a day being disregarded.6

Resources

References

This text about Presidential Approval is based on “The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation”, published by the U.S. Government Printing Office.

[Footnote 1] La Abra Silver Mining Co. v. United States, 175 U.S. 423, 453 (1899).

[Footnote 2] Edwards v. United States, 286 U.S. 482 (1932). On one occasion in 1936, delay in presentation of a bill enabled the President to sign it 23 days after the adjournment of Congress. Schmeckebier, Approval of Bills After Adjournment of Congress, 33 AM. POL. SCI. REV. 52-53 (1939).

[Footnote 3] Gardner v. The Collector, 73 U.S. (6 Wall.) 499 (1868).

[Footnote 4] 73 U.S. at 504. See also Burgess v. Salmon, 97 U.S. 381, 383 (1878).

[Footnote 5] Matthews v. Zane, 20 U.S. (7 Wheat.) 164, 211 (1822).

[Footnote 6] Lapeyre v. United States, 84 U.S. (17 Wall.) 191, 198 (1873).

Tables of Contents

• Presidential Approval and other Topics in the Contents – Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution
• U.S. Constitutional Law Category
• List of amendments to the U.S. Constitution
• Presidential Approval and other Topics in the Constitution Contents
• Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution (Table of Contents)
• Clauses of the Constitution (Table of Contents)