1) There is a dispute as to whether the White House actually has possession of the defense policy bill which President Trump has threatened to veto.

2) This is important. Such a disagreement could impact the timeframe the President has to sign/veto the bill, or, if the bill could become law without his signature.

The Senate aligned with the House today, passing the annual defense policy bill.

3) The measure is a House originated product. Thus, it’s up to the House to package the bill and send it to the White House. The bill is even named after Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), the retiring, top GOPer on the Armed Services Committee.

4) The Speaker’s Office says the House sent the bill to the White House at 5:10 pm et today. Fox is told that both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), signed the bill.

5) Such dual signatures are required from both bodies of Congress to send a bill to the President for his signature.

But colleague Bret Baier reports the White House isn’t in receipt of the bill.

6) And another senior House Democratic leadership source told Fox this evening that the bill is so large it would take time for enrolling clerks at the Capitol to prepare the final version. T

7) The source says it’s unclear how long it will take to get the bill together and send it to the White House. The source noted, the bill would not be sent “tonight.”

8) The Speaker’s Office indicates that the bill went to the White House in the same batch of legislation this afternoon which included the stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown tonight. President Trump signed that bill into law tonight.

9) Why is all of this important?

The President cannot sign or veto the bill until it’s officially at the White House. President Trump has threatened to veto the bill over renaming bases titled after Confederates.

10) The President has also threatened a veto over the bill lacking a provision to repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

11) The Constitution requires a two-thirds supermajority to override a veto. Votes in the House and Senate this week prospectively put both bodies on track to override Mr. Trump’s veto. The House and Senate passed the defense measures with veto-proof margins.

12) The President has vetoed eight bills during his term in office. But he’s never had Congress override a veto. Congress has only overridden a veto 111 times in U.S. history.

So, this bill is primed for a potential veto override.

13) However, the bill could become law without the President’s signature. This is where the timing comes in.

14) Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution requires the President to sign or veto a bill “within ten days (Sundays excepted).” Otherwise, the bill becomes law without his signature.

15) And Congress can’t try to override the President hasn’t sent the measure back to Capitol Hill with his veto.

16) Fox is told that if in fact the White House has the bill, today is “Day Zero.” Thus, the ten day “clock” begins running tomorrow. Saturday is “Day One.” ary 3.

17) Fox is told by two sources that, excluding Sundays, President Trump has until December 23 to sign or veto the bill. Otherwise, it becomes law without his signature.

18) If the clock in fact begins running tomorrow, and the President doesn’t veto it until just before December 23, it’s possible the House and Senate could have to execute a veto override just after Christmas.

19) Or, the House and Senate could do the veto override in the final, waning moments of the 116th Congress. This can’t carry over deep into next year. The bill must be disposed of during the remainder of the 116th Congress or it disappears.

20) The 116th Congress expires at 11:59:59 am et on January 3. Therefore, the House and Senate could try to execute a veto override on January 2 or early in the day on January 3.