GOP Pushes Back on Changing Discharge Petitions After Epstein Files Vote

House Republicans are resisting efforts to tighten rules for discharge petitions and warned they may use the seldom-invoked tool more often to bypass leadership after a bipartisan push forced a vote on Jeffrey Epstein files.

The interest in discharge petitions surged after Democrats joined a small group of Republicans to compel a House vote on legislation requiring the Justice Department to release records related to Epstein. Although only four House Republicans signed the petition, the measure passed the House 427-1, cleared the Senate unanimously and was signed by the president.

Leadership Denies Rule Change

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who had opposed the Epstein-files bill for months, denied reports that he was considering altering discharge-petition rules. In an interview, Johnson said that changing the rules "hasn’t even been part of the discussion and [is] not something that I’ve anticipated." Axios, which first reported the possibility of a rules change, said it stood by its story and quoted House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) as saying he would like to raise the threshold for successful petitions.

Rank-and-File Lawmakers Push Back

Several House Republicans publicly defended the discharge petition as an essential tool for rank-and-file members. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) posted on X that a discharge petition "is a tool of every member to ensure important issues, that have the support of a majority of the House, see the light of day." He added that such petitions are "extremely rare" and typically reflect bipartisan consensus and strong public support, and said he opposes any effort to concentrate more power in leadership.

Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) told reporters he would be "skeptical" of changing the process unless convinced it was necessary. "This is a democratic body," Burlison said, calling the petition an outlet for members even though he has never signed one personally. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) also expressed reluctance to limit the tool, saying the House should remain a majoritarian institution.

Why Discharge Petitions Matter

Discharge petitions allow members to force legislation to the floor with 218 signatures. They are rarely successful because they require members to buck party leaders, but they have become more consequential as margins in the House have narrowed and members grow more willing to challenge leadership.

Recent examples include Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who in March gathered 218 signatures to press for proxy voting for new House parents; Speaker Johnson later negotiated a deal that averted the forced vote. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) recently secured enough signatures to force a vote on restoring union rights for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. A bipartisan petition earlier this year, led by former Reps. Garret Graves (R-La.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), helped advance Social Security-related reforms that were enacted into law.

More Petitions Likely

Several members signaled more discharge petitions could be on the way. Luna said she is prepared to file a petition to push a congressional ban on stock trading by members if no action is taken on a bipartisan bill. "The only way we may be able to ban insider trading is by using a discharge petition," she wrote on X.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) announced he had submitted a discharge petition to force a vote on bipartisan legislation imposing sanctions on countries that enable Russia’s war against Ukraine. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), one of five Republicans who backed Golden’s petition, said the mechanism gives the full House a chance to bring important issues to the floor when leadership cannot.

Democrats Echo Defense of the Tool

Democrats likewise defended keeping the discharge-petition rules intact. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said the mechanism is a vital check on leadership power and warned that raising the threshold would concentrate more authority in the Speaker’s office. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) called the petition an "incredibly important way" for members to ensure that majority-supported legislation reaches the floor and said she would oppose any changes that made the process harder.

As debate continues, the discharge petition remains a rare but potent procedural option—one that members on both sides of the aisle say should not be taken away lightly.