House Democrats plot to bypass Mike Johnson in effort to salvage shutdown deal

"A discharge petition forces a vote on any piece of legislation if it is signed by 218 House members, effectively giving the minority party the power to bypass the majority on bipartisan bills. Democrats have 214 members in the House, meaning four House Republicans would have to sign on even if they get all their members to do so. Driving the news: House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced the strategy"

"The leaders said the underlying legislation Democrats are pushing would renew the expiring subsidies for three years, the sources said. That goes beyond the one- and two-year extensions proposed by various bipartisan groups of House members. Reality check: Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), one of House Republicans' most centrist members and an architect of the two-year extension proposal, told Axios the discharge petition is "DOA.""

A discharge petition can force a House vote when 218 members sign it. Democrats hold 214 House seats, so four Republican signatures are needed to reach the threshold. House Democratic leaders are moving to use a discharge petition to secure a vote to renew expiring ACA subsidies for three years. The three-year renewal would exceed one- and two-year proposals supported by some bipartisan groups. Some centrist Republicans view the petition as unlikely to succeed and urge compromise through the Appropriations Committee. A group of centrist Democrats previously voted to reopen the government in exchange for a promised Senate vote, which faces a 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Read at Axios