To force a bill out of committee, a/an petition must be signed by a majority of the representatives.

To force a bill out of commnittee, a DISCHARGE petition must be signed by a majority of the representatives.

Discharge petitions are often associated with the U.S House of Representatives and used when the committee chair refuses to place a bill or resolution on the Committee's agenda which results to the bill being unreported and not subject to the scrutiny of the House. Discharge petitions requires the signatures of 218 members representing the absolute majority of the House members.