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Vetoes by President George H.W. Bush

President George H.W. Bush vetoed forty-four bills1.2

 

102nd Congress, 2nd Session (1992)
Regular Vetoes
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
H.R.2212    United States-China Act of 1991    Mar 2    H.Doc. 102-197    Veto overridden by the House on Mar 11 by vote No. 43 (357-61).

The Senate sustained the veto on Mar 18 by vote No. 52 (60-38).
H.R.4210    Tax Fairness and Economic Growth Act of 1992    Mar 20    H.Doc. 102-206    The House sustained the veto on Mar 25 by vote No. 55 (211-215).
S.3    Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1992    May 9    S.Doc. 102-21    The Senate sustained the veto on May 13 by vote No. 88 (57-42).
S.2342    To waive the six-year statute of limitations allowing three Sioux Indian Tribes to challenge the 1972 Mississippi Sioux Indian Judgment Fund Act    Jun 16    S.Doc. 102-22    unchallenged

H.R.2507    National Institutes of Health Revitalization Amendments of 1992    Jun 23    H.Doc. 102-349    The House sustained the veto on Jun 24 by vote No. 222 (271-156).
S.250    National Voter Registration Act of 1992    Jul 2    S.Doc. 102-23    The Senate sustained the veto on Sept 22 by vote No. 226 (62-38).
S.5    Family and Medical Leave Act of 1991    Sep 22    S.Doc. 102-26    The House sustained the veto on Sept 30 by vote No. 443 (258-169).

Veto overridden by the Senate on Sept 24 by vote No. 232 (68-31).
S.323    Family Planning Amendments Act of 1992    Sep 25    S.Doc. 102-28    The House sustained the veto on Oct 2 by vote No. 452 (266-148).

Veto overridden by the Senate on Oct 1 by vote No. 254 (73-26).
H.R.5318    United States-China Act of 1992    Sep 28    H.Doc. 102-398    Veto overridden by the House on Sep 30 by vote No. 441 (345-74).

The Senate sustained the veto on Oct 1 by vote No. 255 (59-40).
H.R.5517    The District of Columbia Appropriations Act of 1992    Sep 30    H.Doc. 102-399    unchallenged

S.12    Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992    Oct 3    S.Doc. 102-29    Veto overridden by the House on Oct 5 by vote No. 477 (308-114).

Veto overridden by the Senate on Oct 5 by vote No. 264 (74-25).

Veto overridden
Pocket Vetoes
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
S.3095    Jena Band of Choctaws of Louisiana Restoration Act       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2036    unchallenged

S.3144    Military Health Care Initiatives Act of 1992       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2232    unchallenged

H.R.11    Revenue Act of 1992       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2283    unchallenged

H.R.2109    Revere Beach Study Act of 1991       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2154    unchallenged

H.R.2859    City of Lynn Historical and Cultural Resources Study Act of 1991       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2132    unchallenged

H.R.5021    New River Wild and Scenic Study Act of 1992       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2134    unchallenged

H.R.5061    To Establish Dry Tortugas National Park in the State of Florida       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2134    unchallenged

H.R.5452    Delaware River Port Authority Supplemental Compact Legislation       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2158    unchallenged

H.R.6138    To Amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2187    unchallenged

H.R.6185    To Implement the Recommendations of the Federal Courts Study Committee       28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 2212    unchallenged

102nd Congress, 1st Session (1991)
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
H.R.2699    The District of Columbia Appropriations Act of 1992    Aug 17    H.Doc. 102-129    unchallenged

S.1722    Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1991    Oct 11    S.Doc. 102-8    The Senate sustained the veto on Oct 16 by vote No. 221 (65-35).
H.R.2707    Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 1992    Nov 19    H.Doc. 102-166    The House sustained the veto on Nov 19 by vote No. 403 (276-156).
101st Congress, 2nd Session (1990)
Regular Vetoes
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
H.R.2364    Amtrak Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 1989    May 24    H.Doc. 101-197    Veto overridden by the House on Jun 7 by vote No. 162 (294-123).

The Senate sustained the veto on Jun 12 by vote No. 115 (64-36).
H.R.20    Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1990    Jun 15    H.Doc. 101-203    Veto overridden by the House on June 20 by vote No. 184 (327-93).

The Senate sustained the veto on Jun 21 by vote No. 121 (65-35).
H.R.770    Family Medical Leave Act of 1990    Jun 29    H.Doc. 101-209    The House sustained the veto on Jul 25 by vote No. 262 (232-195).
H.R.4328    Textile, Apparel, and Footwear Trade Act of 1990    Oct 5    H.Doc. 101-245    The House sustained the veto on Oct 10 by vote No. 440 (275-152).
H.J.Res.660    Making Further Continuing Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 1991    Oct 6    H.Doc. 101-246    The House sustained the veto on Oct 6 by vote No. 433 (260-138).
S.2104    Civil Rights Act of 1990    Oct 22    S.Doc. 101-35    The Senate sustained the veto on Oct 24 by vote No. 304 (66-34).
Pocket Vetoes
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
S.321    Indian Preference Act of 1990       137 Cong. Rec. 118    unchallenged

S.2834    Intelligence Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1991       137 Cong. Rec. 118    unchallenged

H.R.3134    For the Relief of Mrs. Joan R. Daronco       137 Cong. Rec. 118    unchallenged

H.R.4638    Orphan Drug Amendments of 1990       137 Cong. Rec. 116-117    unchallenged

H.R.4653    Reauthorization of Export Administration Act of 1979       137 Cong. Rec. 117    unchallenged

101st Congress, 1st Session (1989)
Bill No.    Subject    Veto Date    Presidential Message    Status
H.R.2    Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1989    Jun 13    H.Doc. 101-71    The House sustained the veto on Jun 14 by vote No. 86 (247-178).
S.J.Res.113    To prohibit the export of technology, defense articles, and defense services to codevelop or coproduce the FS-X aircraft with Japan    Jul 31    S.Doc. 101-15    The Senate sustained the veto on Sept 13 by vote No. 175 (66-34).
H.R.2990    Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 1990    Oct 21    H.Doc. 101-102    The House sustained the veto on Oct 25 by vote No. 305 (231-191).
H.R.3026    The District of Columbia Appropriations Act of 1990    Oct 27    H.Doc. 101-105    unchallenged

H.R.2939    Appropriations for Foreign Operations and Export Financing, Fiscal Year 1989    Nov 19    H.Doc. 101-113    unchallenged

H.R.3610    The District of Columbia Appropriations Act of 1990    Nov 20    H.Doc. 101-114    unchallenged

H.R.1231    Investigation of Eastern Airlines and its Collective Bargaining Units    Nov 21    H.Doc. 101-116    The House sustained the veto on March 7, 1990 by vote No. 22 (261-160).
H.R.1487    Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991    Nov 21    H.Doc. 101-115    unchallenged

H.R.2712    Emergency Chinese Immigration Relief Act of 19893    Nov 30    H.Doc. 101-132    Veto overridden by the House on Jan 24, 1990 by vote No. 4 (390-25).

The Senate sustained the veto on Jan 25, 1990 by vote No. 1 (62-37).
 
1. H.J.Res.390, 101st Congress, 1st Session, is considered to have become law because of President Bush's failure to return the legislation to Congress during a recess period. The bill is the subject of a pocket veto claim, but is not counted in the total number of vetoes.(25 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Doc. 1254, August 21, 1989; 136 Cong.Res. 3-4)
 
2. S.1176, 102nd Congress, 1st session, is considered to have become law because of President Bush's failutre to return the legislation to Congress during a recess period. The bill is the subject of a pocket veto claim, but is not counted in the total number of vetoes.(27 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Docs. 1877, December 23, 199; see also 28 Weekly Comp. of Pres. Docs. 507, March 23, 1992; 138 Cong. Rec. 1389-93; 138 Cong. Rec. 4078-82).
 
3. The President stated that the adjournment of the 1st session of the 101st Congress on Nov 22, 1989 prevented the return of H.R.2712 and therefore the bill should be considered pocket vetoed. The message received by the Clerk of the House with the returned bill was a Memorandum of Disapproval which the Congress considered to be a veto message. The veto of H.R.2712 is counted here a regular veto (H.Doc. 101-132).
 

Additional information about veto power and procedure can be found in the CRS reports, Veto Override Procedure in the House and Senate (PDF) and Regular Vetoes and Pocket Vetoes: An Overview (PDF).