17. Bush Was The First President In More Than 150 Years Not To Use A Veto During His First Term
Bush was a controversial figure in many ways, but such was his control of Congress - he had a Republican Majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate - he became the first US President in more than 150 years not to use a veto during his first term in office. Interestingly, during his second term Bush used the Presidential veto on 12 separate occasions. Yet the first veto did not come until five-and-a-half years after he assumed office - in July 2006 he successfully vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which aimed to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The House attempted to override his veto, but failed to claim the two-thirds majority in order to do so. Interestingly, the previous President not to use a veto during his first term - William Henry Harrison in 1841 - died just four weeks after taking office. Hence why no veto was ever used.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
Bush was a controversial figure in many ways, but such was his control of Congress - he had a Republican Majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate - he became the first US President in more than 150 years not to use a veto during his first term in office. Interestingly, during his second term Bush used the Presidential veto on 12 separate occasions. Yet the first veto did not come until five-and-a-half years after he assumed office - in July 2006 he successfully vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which aimed to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The House attempted to override his veto, but failed to claim the two-thirds majority in order to do so. Interestingly, the previous President not to use a veto during his first term - William Henry Harrison in 1841 - died just four weeks after taking office. Hence why no veto was ever used.