A pocket veto is not a direct veto of a bill. Rather, it occurs when the president holds onto a bill, unsigned, until after Congress adjourns.
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With a "regular" veto, the president prevents it from becoming a law by withholding his signature and returning it to Congress; with a pocket veto he also withholds his signature, but does so when Congress has adjourned and has not designated a legal agent to receive veto or other messages (as at the end of a two-year congress). This is a pocket veto, and the bill dies after 10 days of being submitted to the president. A pocket veto applies only when the Congress is not in session.
The veto and the pocket veto are two ways that the _____ can reject a bill
He can veto a bill and he can "pocket veto" one. A pocket veto is when he does nothing and it sits on his desk for 10 days. At that point it is a veto. This is handy because the law maybe popular but he doesn't want to veto it, so he does nothing either way. In the last several years a third way has been used and that is a signing statement. The President signs the bill into law, but then signs a statement that it shouldn't be enforced. Bush did this with about 800 laws. I don't know if Obama has done any signing statements. This really got going under Clinton who did several hundred in his 8 years.
what circumstances might the president use a pocket veto
The President is the one that can use a pocket veto. This type of veto happens if Congress adjourns within the 10-day period the President has to pass or veto the bill.