Punchbowl News: “The discharge petition allows 218 members of the House to bring a bill to the floor around the leadership’s back. There’s already one discharge petition that’s ready for prime time and it has 213 signatures — all Democrats. The petition was filed May 17, 2023, so it’s ripe. And it’s written to allow the minority to drop in any bill they want.”
“However, a bunch of House Democrats will drop off of this petition because of opposition to funding Israel. So they’ll need Republicans, potentially dozens, to reach 218…”
“The quicker option for Ukraine-aid supporters is defeating a previous question, or in Hill parlance, a PQ.”
“Here’s how that would go: Every time the House Republican leadership brings a bill to the floor under a rule, there’s a vote on ‘moving the previous question.’ If that vote is defeated, the Democrat managing debate can amend the rule and effectively bring up any bill they want.”
