Posts tagged discharge petition
Commentary: Congress is about to undo DOGE’s biggest win
April 13, 2026 // That corrupt flow of campaign cash into Congress’s coffers is ultimately why, instead of being eliminated by DOGE, the FMCS is on track to be given a whole new set of powers. New Jersey Democrat Donald Norcross recently filed a discharge petition on the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The petition will force the House to vote on the bill once it reaches 218 signatures. The bill can easily hit that target if all 214 House Democrats sign the petition, along with any four of the bill’s 17 Republican cosponsors. Understanding a politician’s real priorities often requires zooming into these quiet battles over little-known agencies.
Op-ed: A bipartisan bill that would hurt employers and unions
April 12, 2026 // The bill would mandate that workers sometimes be subjected to labor contracts that they never vote for. The idea is to reduce the amount of time it takes between a union being recognized as the collective bargaining agent in a workplace and the enactment of an agreement. The National Labor Relations Act requires recognized unions and employers to negotiate in good faith, but it does not say how long that negotiating may last. In some cases, it can last years.
Jeffries stalls effort to restore federal workers’ bargaining rights
November 18, 2025 // Jeffries stalls effort to restore federal workers’ bargaining rights Reps. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) were poised to sign a discharge petition to force a floor vote before the House minority leader stepped in. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Nov. 4, 2025. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Nov. 4. | Francis Chung/POLITICO By Lawrence Ukenye and Meredith Lee Hill 11/13/2025 01:10 PM EST Updated: 11/13/2025 03:43 PM EST House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ staff on Wednesday night blocked an effort to sidestep Speaker Mike Johnson and force a vote on a bipartisan bill that would restore collective bargaining rights for thousands of federal workers, according to four people granted anonymity to describe the sensitive matter. House leadership has stalled on scheduling a vote for the “Protect America’s Workforce Act” since it was introduced in April. Lawmakers have introduced a discharge petition that would allow the bill to immediately get a floor vote if 218 people sign on.