Legislative Vetoes After Chadha

Publication Date: May 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

In INS v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919 (1983), the Supreme Court struck down Congress's use of the "legislative veto," a device used for half a century to control certain activities in the executive branch. Congress had delegated power to executive officials on the condition that Congress could control their decisions without having to pass another law. These legislative controls, short of a public law, included one-house vetoes, two-house vetoes, and committee vetoes. Congress no longer relies on onehouse or two-house vetoes, but committee and subcommittee vetoes continue to be a part of executive-legislative accommodations. This report will be updated as events warrant.