What must happen for a presidential veto to be overridden?

To override a presidential veto, a specific legislative process must occur, requiring a significant consensus in Congress. This means that both the House of Representatives and the Senate must pass the legislation again, but this time by a two-thirds majority in each chamber. The rationale behind this requirement is to ensure that there is substantial agreement among lawmakers that the legislation should become law despite the president's objections, reflecting a strong level of support from elected representatives.

The two-thirds majority serves as a check on presidential power and emphasizes the system of checks and balances fundamental to the U.S. government. This high threshold makes it relatively challenging to override a veto, underscoring the importance of the presidential veto power and the need for broad bipartisan support to override it.