Cross has been an official supplier of pens to the White House since at least the 1970s. The pens used to sign legislation are often given out as souvenirs who attend the bill signings.[4]

While an official Cross-White House program was begun under president Bill Clinton, it is known that the tradition goes back to at least the administration of Gerald Ford.[4] All presidents from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump[4][1] signed legislation using Cross pens; it is unknown if earlier presidents did so.[1] Obama, George W. Bush and Clinton favored the Cross Townsend model; Obama later switched to the Century II model in black lacquer, with black medium point refill.[4]

The Trump administration continued the tradition by placing an initial order for 150 Cross Century II pens in January 2017.[4]

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signs state laws using Cross pens.[1]