FACT CHECK #WGS-QOUK

WHAT WE FOUND

Barack Obama was the first U.S. president to sign a bill into law using an autopen while physically absent from Washington 1 2 6. This historic first occurred on May 26, 2011, when Obama authorized the use of the device to sign an extension of the Patriot Act while he was attending a G8 summit in Deauville, France 3 7 9. Although previous administrations, including that of George W. Bush, had researched the legality of using an autopen for legislation, Obama was the first to officially employ it for that purpose 4 5. While presidents have used autopens for routine correspondence and official signatures for decades, Obama's use of the technology to enact legislation set a new precedent 2 10. He later used the device for other major laws, including a fiscal cliff bill in 2013 and a highway bill in 2015 8 10.

SOURCES

1. 1 · factually.coFACT-CHECKER
   When did US presidents first use the autopen to sign d...

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2. 2 · theglobeandmail.comFACT-CHECKER
   Fact check: Where did claims of Biden’s use of an ‘autopen’ originate? - The Globe and Mail

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3. 3 · deseret.comACADEMIC
   Obama's signature: Is it real or is it autopenned? – Deseret News

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4. 4 · nytimes.comNEWS
   Autopen Is Used to Sign a Bill Into Law, a United States First - The New York Times

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5. 5 · npr.orgNEWS
   Obama Wields His Autopen To Sign Patriot Act Extension : NPR

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6. 6 · en.wikipedia.orgWEB
   Autopen - Wikipedia

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7. 7 · smithsonianmag.comWEB
   President Obama’s Autopen: When is an Autograph Not an Autograph?

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8. 8 · politico.comWEB
   10 facts about the 'autopen' - POLITICO

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9. 9 · shapell.orgWEB
   The Autopen: How the Robotic Pen Has Changed Presidential History | Shapell Manuscript Foundation

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10. 10 · usatoday.comWEB
    White House aides use autopen to sign highway bill while Obama is overseas

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THE READING