A discharge petition is a way for members of the U.S. House of Representatives to force a bill out of committee and onto the House floor for debate and a vote, even if House leaders do not want to bring it up. It takes 218 signatures , which is a majority of the House, to succeed.

Quick scoop

Normally, House leadership and committees control what gets considered. A discharge petition lets members bypass that gatekeeping when a bill has been stuck in committee.

How it works

  1. A member files the petition with the House clerk.
  1. Other members sign it publicly, and the signatures are made available.
  1. Once it reaches 218 signatures, the petition can move the bill toward a floor vote after the required waiting period.

Why it matters

It is a rare but powerful workaround for bills that have enough support to pass the House but are being blocked by leadership or a committee chair. It is also politically risky, because signing it is a public act that can anger party leaders.

Simple example

If a bill has enough support from a majority of House members but leadership refuses to schedule a vote, lawmakers can use a discharge petition to try to force that vote anyway.

If you want, I can also explain the difference between a discharge petition and a cloture vote.