Ten Days

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday comes from Article I.7.2: "If the Congress presents a bill to the President and then adjourns before he has had ten days to review it, the bill shall not become law unless he signs it."

This principle grants the President ten days to review every bill before being required to take action on it. Unsigned bills never become laws so it is important that Congress make sure that the President has adequate time to review every bill. Otherwise, the Congress has to accept responsibility if the President does not sign the bill.

Even though many bills take many forms, it is the form that is signed by the leaders of both the House of Representatives and the Senate and the President that becomes law.