PORTLAND — Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud of Maine says he has signed a petition to allow a vote on a continuing resolution to fund the federal government.

He says the discharge petition would allow a majority of members to bypass the speaker of the House and force a vote on the bill.

Michaud, who is a running for governor in 2014, said Saturday that Congress will get to vote to end the shutdown if all members who say they would vote to reopen the government sign the petition.

He says the shutdown is having a real impact on the country’s economy and on millions of Americans and will get worse if it’s allowed to continue.