Who has the authority to veto bills?

The authority to veto bills rests with the President of the United States. This power is outlined in Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution, which grants the President the ability to reject legislation passed by Congress. When Congress sends a bill to the President, he or she can choose to sign it into law or veto it, returning it to Congress with an explanation of the decision. This system serves as a check on legislative power, ensuring that the President can prevent laws that may be deemed harmful or inappropriate.

In contrast, the other roles mentioned—Vice President, Speaker of the House, and Senate Majority Leader—do not possess veto power over legislation. The Vice President primarily serves as a tie-breaking vote in the Senate but does not influence legislation directly through a veto. The Speaker of the House leads the House of Representatives but similarly does not have the authority to veto bills. Finally, the Senate Majority Leader organizes the Senate's legislative agenda but again lacks the power to veto. This distribution of powers is designed to uphold the system of checks and balances that is fundamental to the U.S. government.