House Democrats Pull an End Around To Try To Overthrow Boehner and Reopen Government

[Emit]

73. As I understand

and I'm no expert - the discharge petition may trump that move, though.

First, I think the Dems are using a previous bill:

~snip~

Dems have hit on a way to use a “discharge petition,” which forces a House vote if a majority of Representatives signs it, to try to force the issue. Previously, it was thought this could not work, because a discharge petition takes 30 legislative days to ripen, so if this were tried with the clean CR that passed the Senate, this couldn’t bear fruit until some time in November.

But now House Democrats say they have found a previously filed bill to use as a discharge petition — one that would fund the government at sequester levels.

The bill in question is the “Government Shutdown Prevention Act,” which was introduced in March by GOP Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma.

~snip~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/10/04/dems-move-to-force-republicans-to-reopen-the-government/



According to this article:

"This discharge petition only needs a majority of House Members to sign on and does not require any action by the Republican leadership..."

House Members Announce New Path Forward to Open the Government through a Discharge Petition

Oct 4, 2013 WASHINGTON – Senior Democratic Members of the House of Representatives announced today a new effort to overcome the Republican leadership’s obstruction and allow the House to vote to open the federal government as early as October 14th through a discharge petition. This discharge petition only needs a majority of House Members to sign on and does not require any action by the Republican leadership.

“The only thing standing between this Congress and an open government is Speaker Boehner’s refusal to allow a vote on a clean continuing resolution,” said Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). “This measure can remove the Speaker’s undemocratic roadblock and finally allow a clean vote in the House of Representatives to open the government.”

“There is a growing number of Republicans who want the opportunity to work with us to end this crisis. We have seen it in press reports. And I have heard it in my own private conversations with my Republican colleagues,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). “Today, we are offering my Republican friends, and the American people, a way forward.”

“It is a national disgrace that the government of the greatest and strongest nation in the world should be shut down and held hostage to the demands of a small faction of the most radical Tea Party Republicans led by Senator Ted Cruz. If Speaker Boehner will not allow a vote on a clean, Senate-passed bill to open the government, we should force one. I hope all Republicans stand up to the Tea Party and end this reckless political game,” said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.).

H. Res. 372 The “Open the Government” Resolution, introduced today by Van Hollen, Miller, and Lowey, would allow an up or down vote on a clean continuing resolution, consistent with the funding levels passed by the Senate, if a majority of House Members sign onto a discharge petition. A discharge petition can be filed after seven legislative days from the introduction of the resolution. If a majority of House members sign the discharge petition, a floor vote on a clean continuing resolution could occur as early as October 14th.

~snip~

http://democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/press-release/house-members-announce-new-path-forward-open-government-through-discharge-petition

There is a wealth of information at this link above, including:

Copy of the Resolution to Open the Government (pdf)

Key Points on Plan to Open the Government (pdf)

Detailed FAQs on the Discharge Petition Process (pdf)

Example of a Discharge Petition that Could Be Open for Signatures On Oct. 11 (pdf)

Steps to Reopen the Government through the “Open the Government” resolution