George Washington issued the first presidential veto in U.S. history on April 5, 1792, The Veto was for the 1792 Congressional Act for apportionment of representatives among the states. Washington believed the bill was unconstitutional, since it did not use a uniform ratio for apportionment.
Washington agreed with Thomas Jefferson and Edmund Randolph who also believed the Act would unfairly benefit certain states and create more representatives than prescribed by the Constitution. Congress was unable to override the veto and subsequently passed a new bill that met constitutional standards, which Washington signed on April 14, 1792. Washington vetoed a total of two bills during his two terms. His second veto was a bill to reduce the number of cavalry units in the military. Washington used the veto power only on bills he deemed unconstitutional or directly detrimental to national security, setting a high bar for the exercise of this executive power.
