<p>Originally, there had been a plan in place to have a White House aide hand-carry the legislation re-authorising the Patriot Act, a controversial set of anti-terrorism and law enforcement measures passed in the wake of 9/11, to Europe, where Obama was for G8 talks. However, the vote process was delayed, which meant that the bill might not have reached Obama before the act expired at midnight Thursday.<br /><br />So Obama authorised the use of autopen, a tool that exactly mimics the president’s signature and is more commonly used to sign Christmas cards and letters to schoolchildren.<br /><br />In 2005, the then Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard C Neilson, Jr, released an opinion that stated the use of an autopen to sign a bill was constitutional. But this is the first time an autopen has actually been used to sign a bill — making it historic.<br /><br />But at least one congressman disagrees. Georgia Republican Tom Graves sent a letter to Obama on Friday, stating he believes the use of an autopen in this context sets a “dangerous precedent.”<br /><br />Graves said he at first thought reports of the use of the autopen were “a joke.”<br />Actually, the device traces back to the early 1800’s and was reportedly used by Thomas Jefferson, though not necessarily to sign bills.<br /><br />It can cost anywhere from $2000 to $10000. Only two companies in the United States make the devices. Each signature template costs about $175 to create. The more expensive autopens are automated and require programming a person’s handwriting into a computer.</p>
<p>Originally, there had been a plan in place to have a White House aide hand-carry the legislation re-authorising the Patriot Act, a controversial set of anti-terrorism and law enforcement measures passed in the wake of 9/11, to Europe, where Obama was for G8 talks. However, the vote process was delayed, which meant that the bill might not have reached Obama before the act expired at midnight Thursday.<br /><br />So Obama authorised the use of autopen, a tool that exactly mimics the president’s signature and is more commonly used to sign Christmas cards and letters to schoolchildren.<br /><br />In 2005, the then Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard C Neilson, Jr, released an opinion that stated the use of an autopen to sign a bill was constitutional. But this is the first time an autopen has actually been used to sign a bill — making it historic.<br /><br />But at least one congressman disagrees. Georgia Republican Tom Graves sent a letter to Obama on Friday, stating he believes the use of an autopen in this context sets a “dangerous precedent.”<br /><br />Graves said he at first thought reports of the use of the autopen were “a joke.”<br />Actually, the device traces back to the early 1800’s and was reportedly used by Thomas Jefferson, though not necessarily to sign bills.<br /><br />It can cost anywhere from $2000 to $10000. Only two companies in the United States make the devices. Each signature template costs about $175 to create. The more expensive autopens are automated and require programming a person’s handwriting into a computer.</p>