In that way, members could claim credit for supporting a popular measure even if they had not signed the "discharge petition."

An emotional battle rages in the House over an obscure device known as the discharge petition.

The discharge petition allows a member to move a bill directly to the floor by getting a majority of members to sign a petition.

A discharge petition was able to force the bill to be considered, and the House passed the bill 254-84.

The removal of secrecy also encourages discharge petitions that exist merely to take a public stand on an issue.

Starting in 1997, several attempts were made to bring it to the floor via the discharge petition.

The bill, which made the rule change requiring public disclosure of signers, was itself filed with a discharge petition.

However, the discharge petition succeeded and the Senate version was passed after minor amendments were added.

Analogs to the discharge petition in parliamentary systems are rare.

These same Democrats should now be willing to sign the discharge petition.