Congressman Addison McDowell (R-NC) introduced a bill on Thursday, titled the “Ban on Inkless Directives and Executive Notarizations Act of 2025 (BIDEN) Act." This new legislation would prevent the president from using the autopen, or similar devices, for signing bills, executive orders, pardons, and commutations by amending Title 3 of the U.S. Code.
“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,” said Congressman Addison McDowell. “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 new legislation proposed by McDowell comes as lawmakers question the unprecedented usage of the autopen by the previous administration. Former President Joe Biden admitted to The New York Times reporters that his staff used the autopen to sign warrants at the end of his term because he had granted clemency to so many people. The autopen was used on 25 pardon and commutation warrants confirmed between last December and January.
The newly proposed "BIDEN Act" would explicitly prohibit any person besides the President from signing engrossed bills, executive orders, pardons, and commutations, even through automated signing devices on the President's behalf. Any of these documents signed in violation would be invalidated and have no legal effect.
McDowell said, "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."
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