{"id":2613693,"date":"2026-06-13T06:29:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T10:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-discharge-petition-is-frustrating-house-leadership\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T06:29:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T10:29:02","slug":"how-the-discharge-petition-is-frustrating-house-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-discharge-petition-is-frustrating-house-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"How the &#8216;discharge petition&#8217; is frustrating House leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-the-discharge-petition-is-frustrating-house-leadership%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2613693&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/discharge-petition\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17674\">Discharge petitions<\/a>, once a rare tool to seize control of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/house\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/house\/\">House<\/a> floor, are increasingly plaguing Republican leaders and giving Democrats outsize sway despite being the minority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legislative procedure, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4601258\/20-republicans-buck-leadership-to-pass-labor-regulations-bill\/\">used successfully<\/a> as recently as this past week, bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to a floor vote if a simple majority signs on in support. So far this <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"31\">Congress<\/a>, eight discharge petitions have reached the threshold, with six receiving a full vote and passing the House.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4607031\/don-bacon-expunge-trump-impeachment-vanity-project\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Don Bacon opposes GOP push to \u2018expunge\u2019 Trump impeachments: \u2018No time for vanity projects\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4605932\/trump-house-resolution-erase-impeachments\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump backs House resolution to erase first-term impeachments: Report<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4605038\/oversight-committee-democrats-demand-white-house-epstein-testimony\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>House oversight committee Democrats demand White House officials testify over Epstein files meetings<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In each case, it took Democrats uniting behind a resolution and then peeling off a handful of rank-and-file Republicans to end-run Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7043\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA), who ordinarily sets the floor schedule.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most recent petition, a bill requiring employers to bargain within 10 days of union certification \u2014 introduced to prevent union contracts from stalling \u2014 prompted GOP leadership to denounce the usage of discharge petitions. Johnson has one of the slimmest majorities in history, making it easier for the minority to circumvent him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/steve-scalise\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1757\">Steve Scalise<\/a> (R-LA) told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he does not support the use of discharge petitions because \u201cwe have committees, and the committees do hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEverybody\u2019s got their own bills that they might want to move, and you know, as the majority leader, when people come to me and they want a bill moved, I tell them \u2014 first thing I always tell them is, \u2018Go talk to the chairman,\u2019\u201d Scalise said. \u201cWork through the committee process. That is what the regular order is around here, and obviously most people do that. You might not always get the result you want when you go to committee, but that is the legislative process, and that\u2019s what I surely urge we do.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the powerful House Rules Committee, told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that discharge petitions are \u201cterrible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNobody should ever sign a discharge petition if you\u2019re in the majority,\u201d Foxx said. \u201cIt is a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the most high-profile legislation this Congress has passed to date has been through a discharge petition, including bills to block President Donald Trump\u2018s effort to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4532127\/eleven-house-republicans-vote-rebuke-trump-protect-haitian-migrants\/\">end temporary protected status<\/a> for Haitian migrants, force a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3890515\/house-republican-votes-release-epstein-files\/\">release of the Epstein files<\/a>, extend the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4412144\/house-republicans-vote-enhanced-obamacare-subsidies\/\">Affordable Care Act tax credits<\/a>, and impose new sanctions on Russia alongside additional <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4595078\/18-house-republicans-defy-trump-and-vote-to-send-1-3-billion-to-ukraine\/\">aid for Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of the four Republicans who crossed party lines to go against Trump\u2019s wishes and force a vote to release the Epstein files, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) will be the last one standing after this Congress concludes. Former North Carolina Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene quit earlier this year amid a feud with Trump. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is leaving the House after a failed gubernatorial bid. And Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was defeated in his GOP primary by Trump-backed Ed Gallrein.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another Republican who has backed the discharge petition process is retiring Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/don-bacon\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17566\">Don Bacon<\/a> (R-NE), who signed on to four of the six that have passed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe speaker is a friend, I admire him, but if he won\u2019t let legislation come to the floor that the majority supports, this is an avenue,\u201d Bacon told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think the Ukraine one was one I felt most strongly about, and he wouldn\u2019t let it come to the floor, and really, you can\u2019t say that you\u2019re a supporter of Ukraine,\u201d the Nebraska Republican continued, if \u201cwe don\u2019t let a vote come up for a year and a half.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), who holds an extremely competitive seat, has signed on to three of the six.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI look at it as if it\u2019s a good piece of legislation that\u2019s good for my district,\u201d Bresnahan told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> \u201cI\u2019m going to support it, whether it\u2019s a discharge or not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think if you look at just how the faster labor contract \u2026 you had 28 Republicans that ended up voting for the final package, and there\u2019s been many examples of times where a Democrat-led piece of legislation resulted in a good amount of Republicans that voted for the final passage,\u201d he continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Overall, 23 discharge petitions have been introduced this Congress, with only eight reaching the necessary support.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The procedure was created in 1924 to help rank-and-file members get around leadership if they refuse to schedule a vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4605549\/bill-cassidy-final-seersucker-day-bipartisan-tradition\/\">BILL CASSIDY GOES OUT IN STYLE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a 2023 blog post on the House website, \u201cless than 4 percent\u201d of petitions have accumulated the 218 signatures usually needed since 1935. Passage of six of the 23 discharge petitions this Congress translates to a 26% success rate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While these six measures passed the lower chamber, only the Epstein Files Transparency Act has been signed into law. On top of House passage, each must also get through the Senate and either earn Trump\u2019s support or survive a presidential veto. Trump initially opposed the Epstein legislation before changing his stance and endorsing it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Hailey Bullis contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discharge petitions, once a rare tool to seize control of the House floor, are increasingly plaguing Republican leaders and giving Democrats outsize sway despite being the minority. The legislative procedure, used successfully as recently as this past week, bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to a floor vote if a simple majority signs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2613694,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/051526_SPEAKER_MIKE_JOHNSON-52-e1778860668326.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2613693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/051526_SPEAKER_MIKE_JOHNSON-52-e1778860668326.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613693\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}