On July 29, 1974, the House of Representatives successfully overrode President Richard Nixon’s veto of legislation related to executive privilege and the disclosure of White House tapes and records—an action taken amid the escalating Watergate scandal that was unraveling the Nixon presidency. The override reflected mounting congressional impatience and a bipartisan consensus that accountability measures were required despite presidential objections. Background The immediate context was the long-running Watergate investigation, which began with the June 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and evolved into inquiries into abuse of power, obstruction of justice, and illegal campaign activities. Central to the crisis were recorded conversations from the Oval Office. Special prosecutor and congressional investigators sought access to these tapes as critical evidence. Nixon asserted executive privilege and resisted full disclosure, prompting legal and legislative confrontations. The Veto and the Override In mid-1974, Congress considered measures to compel or clarify requirements for the President to produce evidence relevant to impeachment and criminal investigations. When Nixon vetoed one such measure—which aimed to limit the scope of presidential privilege and facilitate access to subpoenaed materials—Congress moved to override the veto. On July 29, 1974, the House voted to override Nixon’s veto, achieving the two-thirds majority required and thereby enacting the legislation over the President’s objections. Significance The override was a rare and consequential assertion of congressional authority over the executive branch. It underscored a bipartisan determination to enforce investigative subpoenas and to prevent claims of privilege from wholly blocking oversight. Politically, the action further eroded Nixon’s standing in Washington and among the public, contributing to the momentum that would culminate in his resignation less than a month later on August 8, 1974. Legal and Institutional Impact Beyond its immediate effect on the Watergate inquiries, the override reinforced precedents about the limits of executive privilege when weighed against congressional oversight and criminal investigations. It demonstrated that Congress could employ its legislative powers to constrain assertions of absolute privilege and to support investigatory processes—especially in circumstances where criminal conduct or obstruction was alleged. Aftermath Following the override and continued revelations from tapes and other evidence, the Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment. Facing near-certain impeachment in the Senate and bipartisan loss of political support, Nixon announced his resignation on August 8, 1974, effective August 9. The succession by Vice President Gerald Ford and subsequent political developments, including Ford’s later pardon of Nixon, continued to shape debates about accountability and the presidency. Historical Note Contemporary accounts and later historical analyses emphasize the override as a key turning point in the Watergate timeline: a formal congressional repudiation of expansive executive privilege claims during an acute constitutional and criminal inquiry. While procedural details vary among sources, the broad consensus in primary records and scholarly work is that the July 29, 1974 override marked a decisive congressional step to secure evidence and assert oversight in the face of presidential resistance.