The Discharge Rule in the House of Representatives

The 'discharge rule' of the House of Representatives allows a measure to come to the floor for consideration, even if the committee of referral does not report it and the leadership does not schedule it. To initiate this action, a majority of House Members must first sign a petition for that purpose. The rule permits either (1) the committee of referral to be discharged from the measure itself; or (2) the Committee on Rules to be discharged from a special rule for considering the measure. Layover periods required by the rule permit the Committee on Rules to pre-empt a discharge attempt, and recover control of the floor agenda, by securing adoption of an alternative special rule for considering the measure. Contents: Preface; Introduction; Function of the Discharge Rule; Pertinent Features of the Discharge Rule and their Development; Data Presented in This Report; Recent Discharge Attempts on Measures That Became Available for Floor Action; Use and Success of the Discharge Procedure; Frequency of Discharge Attempts; Use of the Three Forms of Discharge; Success of Discharge Attempts; Other Forms of Action on Measures Subjected to Discharge Attempts; Action After a Petition is Entered