Reading Room Document

Approval and Disapproval of Bills by the President After Sine Die Adjournment of the Congress

The President may approve a bill after the sine die adjournment of Congress. If he wishes to disapprove legislation, the correct procedure is simply inaction, which results in a pocket veto. While a formal veto message is inappropriate, the President may express his disapproval through a memorandum of disapproval. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/23266/download.

December 30, 1982