Washington, D.C. — Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., has introduced a new bill that would prohibit presidents from using an autopen to sign key official documents such as bills, executive orders, pardons, and commutations — a direct swipe at former President Joe Biden’s use of the device during his time in office.
The legislation, pointedly titled the “Ban on Inkless Directives and Executive Notarizations Act of 2025” — or the BIDEN Act — aims to ensure that only the sitting president can physically sign such documents.
“The American people elect a President to run the country, not a cabal of woke staffers,” McDowell said in a statement. “Sadly, that is exactly what the American people received under Joe Biden.”
The bill would amend U.S. law to read:
“No person other than the President may lawfully sign an engrossed bill, Executive Order, or pardon or commutation, nor may any automatic signing device, including an autopen, be used for such purpose.”
It goes further, stating that any such document signed using an autopen — even retroactively — would be considered invalid and carry no legal weight.
Autopen Controversy Reignites
The legislation follows growing Republican criticism over Biden’s reliance on the autopen during his presidency, especially during mass clemency decisions and late-stage executive actions. Critics argue the practice raises serious constitutional and transparency concerns, particularly when questions about Biden’s mental fitness were already swirling in his final years in office.
McDowell didn’t hold back in his statement, claiming Biden’s use of the autopen allowed unelected staffers to wield executive power.
“While Joe Biden worried more about breaking glass ceilings than executing the duties of the presidency, his legacy will forever be linked to the unchecked use of the autopen,” McDowell said. “The BIDEN Act will make sure rogue bureaucrats can never again exploit a mentally unfit president to carry out their own agenda.”
Biden Responds
Former President Biden has firmly rejected the accusations, defending his use of the autopen as routine and legally valid.
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,” Biden said in a recent interview. “I made the calls on pardons, executive orders, and legislative matters. Any claim that I didn’t is false and absurd.”
Supporters of Biden, including some former campaign aides, have pointed out that the autopen has been used by both Republican and Democratic presidents for decades in limited circumstances.
Still, Rep. McDowell’s bill reflects ongoing efforts by House Republicans to challenge what they call executive overreach and restore what they view as lost accountability during Biden’s presidency.
The BIDEN Act now awaits consideration in the House, where GOP leaders say it will be part of a broader push to tighten controls around presidential authority.
