Democrats to file a discharge petition to force a vote

[Ohioblue22]

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is threatening to force a vote on creating an independent committee to investigate the Trump-Russia affair if the Republicans won’t bring it up for a vote.

In a letter to the Democratic caucus today, Pelosi wrote the following:

“Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) must call up this legislation immediately upon our return next week. If Republicans continue to work to hide the truth from the American people, it will be necessary for Democrats to file a discharge petition to force a vote on the [legislation].

Given Director Comey’s confirmation of the Trump-Russia inquiry, the President’s actions raise questions about whether this dismissal was an attempt to undermine that investigation.

The fireworks at the Department of Justice demand that we remove the investigation from the Trump-appointed Justice Department leadership.”

http://realtimepolitics.com/2017/05/11/nancy-pelosi-paul-ryan/?utm_campaign=PL&utm_source=PL&utm_medium=FB

[canetoad]

1. I, for one, have no idea what a discharge petition is

So here's some info:

https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/legislative-process-101-discharge-petitions/

What’s a Discharge Petition?

After a bill has been introduced and referred to a standing committee for 30 days, a member of the House can file a motion to have the bill discharged, or released, from consideration by the committee. In order to do this, a majority of the House (218 voting members, not delegates) must sign the petition. Once a discharge petition reaches 218 members, after several legislative days, the House considers the motion to discharge the legislation and takes a vote after 20 minutes of debate. If the vote passes (by all those who signed the petition in the first place), then the House will take up the measure.

Isn’t Signing a Discharge Petition Just Like Cosponsoring a Bill?

Similar, but not the same. Adding a name as a cosponsor of a bill signals to the public that a Member of Congress (MoC) would support the bill should it come to the floor. And under normal procedure, the Majority Leader schedules all bills for consideration by the House. However, with a discharge petition, the Majority Leader does not have the discretion of whether to schedule the bill. It comes to the floor once it receives 218 signatures.

But How Often Do Discharge Petitions Come to the Floor?

Not often. The biggest barrier to invoking this procedure is getting the requisite 218 signatures in a highly-majoritarian body. Historically, discharge petitions have passed, but not in recent history.

[global1]

2. Do You Know If This Discharge Petition Goes To A Vote - Does The Vote....

require Reps to commit themselves by name or is this a voice vote.

I want to know if we can get the Repugs on record.

[canetoad]

3. Sorry, no answers

I'm not in the US, so reading about this as I go....

[FBaggins]

4. She can file it...

... But can she get republicans to support it?

[onenote]

5. It's for show. Which is fine.

For a discharge petition to succeed, it must have the public support of a majority of the House. Thus, if every Democrat signed the discharge petition, it would still need the public support of nearly two dozen House members. That is extremely unlikely to happen.

The real purpose for it is that the Democrats can use the absence of a republican member's name on the petition against them in campaign advertising -- labeling that person as someone who would not support there being a vote on the creation of an independent investigative committee.

[tonyt53]

6. Correct on all points presented!!!!!

[Jim Lane]

7. I wouldn't rule out getting a majority.

The linked article notes that one Republican (Jones) is already on board. Others may join -- some fearing those campaign ads you mention, and maybe even some out of genuine patriotism and conviction. I suspect Jones is in that latter category. (He won re-election in 2016 by 67%-32%. I'd say he's safe.)

As icing on the cake, don't forget that quite a few of the establishment Republicans despise Trump. They'd prefer Pence, both as President and as the head of the ticket they have to run on in 2020.

[L. Coyote]

9. Some are likely more concerned out primary challenges.

Link to tweet

[L. Coyote]

8. #TrumpRussia Impeachable Offenses: Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy, Abuse of Power

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029047608