Definition
A procedural tool allowing House members to force a bill out of committee if they can gather 218 signatures, essentially staging a legislative jailbreak. It's rarely successful because it requires betraying your party leadership.
Example Usage
The discharge petition gained 215 signatures before leadership finally agreed to schedule the bill, preventing the embarrassing spectacle.
Origin
Established by House rules in 1910 during progressive-era reforms
Fun Fact
Signatures on discharge petitions were kept secret until 1993, allowing members to sign them and then deny doing so—a level of political cowardice that eventually became too much even for Congress.
Source: House of Representatives procedural guides and parliamentary manuals
Related Terms
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