Republican introduces measure to ban autopen use when presidents sign certain items
Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., has introduced a bill which would declare that engrossed bills, executive orders, pardons, and commutations may only be legally signed by the president, and an autopen device may not be used.
The measure is called the "Ban on Inkless Directives and Executive Notarizations Act of 2025," or the BIDEN Act.
The bill would amend current law to add: "Notwithstanding this section or any other provision of law, no person other than the President may lawfully sign an engrossed bill, Executive Order, or pardon or commutation, nor may automatic signing device, including an autopen, be used for such purpose."
"No engrossed bill, Executive Order, or pardon or commutation that was signed in violation of section 301 of title 3, United States Code, including any such an engrossed bill, Executive Order, or pardon or commutation signed prior to the effective date of this Act, may be considered to have any force or effect," the bill also declares.
In a statement included in a press release about the bill, McDowell said, "The American people elect a President to run the country, not a cabal of woke staffers. Sadly, that is exactly what the American people received under Joe Biden."
"While Joe Biden worried more about breaking glass ceilings as commander in chief, his legacy will forever be tied to the lack of oversight he provided to the presidential autopen. The BIDEN Act will ensure that rogue bureaucrats can no longer take advantage of a mentally incompetent President to seize authority awarded to the Oval Office," the lawmaker said, according to the release.
Former President Joe Biden has previously dismissed the notion that he did not make the decisions while serving as president.
"Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false," Biden said in part of a statement last month.
Fox News Channel's Patrick Ward contributed to this report