# Discharge Petition A discharge petition is the House's only member-driven mechanism for forcing a bill out of committee and onto the floor against the leadership's wishes: if 218 members (an absolute majority) sign, the bill is "discharged" from committee and guaranteed floor consideration. Because signatures are public and leadership punishes defectors, successful discharge petitions are rare — but the *threat* of one nearing 218 frequently forces leadership to schedule a vote preemptively. It is the principal counterweight to both the committee graveyard and the [[Hastert Rule]]. Documented in the [[How a Bill Becomes Law]] process map. See also [[Congress Hub]].