The U.S. House of Representatives committee on oversight and government reform recently released a 100-page report titled The Biden Autopen Presidency: Decline, Delusion, and Deception in the White House.
In the lengthy document, the committee casts doubts on the legitimacy of every single one of President Biden’s executive actions signed by autopen. In fact, the report declares these autopen signatures “null and void.”
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Committee Chairman James Comer said in a press release, “The Biden Autopen Presidency will go down as one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history” (1).
Of course, a congressional report is not legally binding on its own; only a court order, valid new executive order, or new legislation can void presidential actions. But critics fear the committee’s recommendation to Attorney General Pam Bondi to review all Biden-era rulings signed by autopen could open the door to legal challenges.
The autopen is a machine with a small robotic arm that replicates signatures. It was first patented in 1803 and has been used by U.S. politicians and presidents for decades. President Barack Obama also signed legislation with an autopen, and the Department of Justice’s office of legal counsel concluded the use of the autopen to be constitutional during the George W. Bush administration (2).
With a plethora of executive orders and other actions signed with an autopen by former President Biden, that could put much of his legacy at risk. Plus, everyday Americans could face the fallout of rules rolling back.
Consumer protections at risk if autopen signature is void
In his term as president, Biden rolled out a plethora of consumer protections, many with the use of an autopen. If all of the Biden-era autopen signatures are void, the rollback on consumer protections could hurt your finances.
For example, President Biden signed a bill eliminating junk fees into law in December 2024. Hidden junk fees, which get tacked onto everything from a hotel stay to a concert ticket, can add up quickly. According to the Biden Administration, the rule change potentially saves families hundreds of dollars each year (3). Voiding his autopen signature could make these fees fair game again.
Another executive action to crack down on medical costs, starting by imposing inflation caps and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices (4). The savings American seniors enjoyed through this rule change, of around $400 per year, might disappear if the order is ruled to be void.
In the same executive order, President Biden closed healthcare provider loopholes in an effort to prevent surprise billing. According to the American Presidency Project, this rule prevented around 1 million surprise billings each month (5).
All of these orders and changes add up to significant savings for American families. And with 77% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, according to a recent survey by PayrollOrg, those savings can make a big difference (6).
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How to protect your finances from the fallout
For now, Biden-era policies surrounding consumer protections remain intact, as this report has no force of law — and Democrats are calling this report a "sham investigation" because witnesses confirmed that former President Biden authorized his actions. However, it’s wise to be ready if things change.
As everyday Americans, the decisions on any reversals of Biden-era policies signed into law with an autopen are essentially out of our hands.
But, of course, it’s still important to let your lawmakers know what you think about the situation and share what you’d like them to do about it. For example, you might call your representative or senator to explain why these Biden-era rules matter to you.
Beyond that, the only thing to do in the face of increasingly volatile political and economic storms is to work on shoring up your own financial situation. Building up an emergency fund, with several months of expenses, could help you weather the potential fallout of any Biden-era rule rollbacks.
Additionally, looking for ways to increase your income to tackle financial goals, like paying off debt or saving for retirement, may give you more peace of mind as the political sands shift and the rules change. Bumping up your income could start with asking for a raise, finding a part-time job, or building up a side hustle, like dog walking or delivering groceries.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (1); Politico (2); Biden White House (3); Biden White House (4); UC Santa Barbara (5); PayrollOrg (6)
This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: House GOP declares all Biden executive actions ‘null and void,’ due to autopen use — here’s what’s at risk for consumers
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