No More Autopen

[CG6468]

House Republicans Ask Obama To Re-Sign Patriot Act, Never Use Autopen To Sign Bills Into Law

June 17, 2011 11:08 AM

ABC News’ Mary Bruce reports:

A group of House Republicans are calling on President Obama to re-sign the Patriot Act extension, this time with his own hand, and to vow never to use the machine to sign bills into law again. A letter from 21 lawmakers to the president today reignites the debate over the constitutionality of using the autopen to sign legislation.

“Mr. President, it is clear that assigning a surrogate the responsibility of signing bills passed by Congress is a debatable issue, and could be challenged in court.  That being the case, our request is that, out of an abundance of caution, you affix your signature to S. 990 by personally re-signing the enrolled bill,” the letter reads. “Furthermore, we ask that you commit to ending the practice of using an autopen to sign bills passed by Congress.”

Congress passed the four-year extension of the Patriot Act in May. The only problem was the president was in France, meeting with G8 leaders, and the bill's provisions were set to expire at midnight. 

The White House decided that the president would use the autopen, a machine that holds a pen and signs his actual signature, which is only used with proper authorization from the president.

Oh, Boo-Friggin'-Hoo blammo

[thelaughingman]

It's difficult to sign something yourself when you're bowing to some Muslim leader or talking over a foreign nation's national anthem while making a lame toast.

[JohnnyReb]

AUTOPEN: For those times when you're so F'ed up you can't write.

[rich_t]

I don't see how using the auto-pen can even remotely be considered Constitutional when it comes to signing legislation into law.

Want to use it to sign photos or letters to supporters?  Fine.

But to sign official legislation?  Screw that.