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onenote

(45,873 posts)
16. That used to be the rule, but I think it was changed in 2019
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 06:18 PM
Nov 12

It may have been changed back, but I haven't been able to find anything saying that it has.

As I understand it, this is the current procedure:

After the 218 signature threshold is reached, an additional seven legislative days must elapse before a Member who signed the petition may notify the House in a floor statement of an intention to offer the discharge motion on the floor. The motion may then be called up by that Member at a time or place, designated by the Speaker, in the legislative schedule within two legislative days after the day on which a Member whose signature appears thereon announces to the House an intention to offer the motion. The discharge motion is debatable for twenty minutes, equally divided between the proponents and an opponent and is not subject to a motion to table. If the motion to discharge a bill is adopted, it is in order to move that the House immediately consider the bill itself.

Thus, it will be at least a week before the discharge petition is brought up for a vote. One wild card is that a "legislative day" is not the same as a "calendar day" and I wouldn't put it past Johnson to muck around with the designation of a "legislative day" to delay a vote. In addition, my understanding is that the vote on the underlying bill is subject to ordinary parliamentary procedure, so a "motion to table" would be in order.

And, in the end, even if the bill passes, it has to go to the Senate and get 60 votes to be considered. And unless their is a seismic change in the repub caucus, that unlikely to happen. And in the event the bill does make it through the Senate, it can and almost certainly would be vetoed by Trump. Finding enough repubs that would vote to override that veto is yet another hurdle.

In the end, the likely benefit of the discharge procedure isn't going to be the release of the Epstein files. It's going to be forcing repubs in the House and, hopefully the Senate, to go on record opposing the release of the Epstein files.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

So Boebert did not relent? SSJVegeta Nov 12 #1
Nor the loon Nancy Mace BumRushDaShow Nov 12 #7
And supposedly, now that REP Grijavla has provided the 218th signature.... COL Mustard Nov 12 #10
This is only a discharge petition Bluetus Nov 13 #27
And I love writing COL Mustard Nov 12 #11
I'm feeling pretty damned confident about the midterms Torchlight Nov 12 #2
Kick +100000000 bronxiteforever Nov 12 #3
Just in time for the Xmas holiday season . . . Journeyman Nov 12 #4
Just hope it's not another "Fitzmas" debacle RazorbackExpat Nov 13 #26
I'm starting to smile again. Borogove Nov 12 #5
Don't be surprised if some of the GQP moniss Nov 12 #6
That won't matter. Trump would veto the measure if it passes, and that veto won't be overturned. TheRickles Nov 12 #9
Yes indeed I agree with that but I was focusing strictly on the House moniss Nov 12 #13
Agreed - these are good points. Interesting times.... TheRickles Nov 12 #15
I think there are more GOPs who will vote for it.... reACTIONary Nov 12 #20
Awesome! FakeNoose Nov 12 #8
They get to delay this until the fourth Monday of the month, right? nt Gore1FL Nov 12 #12
That used to be the rule, but I think it was changed in 2019 onenote Nov 12 #16
Update: Johnson reportedly wants to accelerate the process onenote Nov 12 #22
Especially the financial records. Maybe we can get to the bottom of many things, like Deutsche Bank and Justice Kennedy' travelingthrulife Nov 12 #14
Trump must be calling Reps madly right now. Kablooie Nov 12 #17
Permanent marker working overtime. ForgoTheConsequence Nov 12 #18
Evidently, he and his were working the phones like crazy, trying to talk a few calimary Nov 13 #25
Recommended. H2O Man Nov 12 #19
Kicked and recommended Uncle Joe Nov 12 #21
I'm getting the feeling timms139 Nov 12 #23
... SirReal69 Nov 13 #24
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