A discharge petition in the U.S. House of Representatives requires 218 signatures to force a floor vote on a measure.
October 07, 2025
high
procedural
House procedural rule for bringing measures to the floor without leadership support.
Only seven bills originating via successful House discharge petitions have been enacted into law since 1935.
January 01, 1935
high
historical statistic
Historical count of successful discharge-petition-originated measures that became law since 1935.
House rules changes can only be adopted at the start of a new U.S. Congress, and suspending House rules during an ongoing Congress generally requires approval by a two-thirds majority vote.
high
procedural
Describes the timing and vote threshold for changing or suspending rules of the U.S. House of Representatives.