Discharge petition

A discharge petition is a way for rank-and-file House members to bring a bill to the floor over the objections of the committee that holds it or the leadership that controls the schedule. Normally a bill must be reported by a committee and given a rule by the House Rules Committee before it is debated.

Under House rules, a member may file a petition to discharge a bill, or a rule that would allow it, from committee after it has been pending for 30 legislative days. The petition needs signatures from a majority of the House, which is 218 members when the House is at full strength. Once it has them, and after a waiting period, any signer can call it up on the second or fourth Monday of the month, and the House votes on whether to consider it.

Successful discharge petitions are rare, since members are reluctant to defy their own party's leadership. Notable uses include the 2002 campaign finance reform bill and more recent bipartisan efforts. The tool is often seen as a check on the Speaker of the House, since a majority can override the Speaker's control of the floor. It does not require the Senate or president to act.