What is a discharge petition?

• A. A rule that bans amendments in the House
• B. A motion to force a bill to the House floor that has been bottled up in committee
• C. A process to veto a bill
• D. A vote to end debate in the Senate

Answer: (B)

A discharge petition is a House procedure that lets members force a bill out of committee and onto the floor for consideration when it’s stalled there. Any member can circulate the petition, and if a majority of the House signs it, the bill is discharged from the committee and must be brought to the floor for debate and a vote, bypassing the committee bottleneck. This tool is used to counteract inaction by committee chairs or leadership, giving rank-and-file members a path to action when a bill hasn’t progressed. It’s specific to the House and not the Senate, and it describes the idea of moving a stalled bill to the floor rather than vetoing, ending debate, or banning amendments.