The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), spoke this Friday (29) about the spending cut package announced on Thursday (28) by Minister Fernando Haddad, of Finance. The statement one day after the adjustment was detailed contrasts with the immediate reaction of the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), who promised to give priority to the proceedings in the house.
Lira stated that the Chamber has an “unshakable commitment” to the government’s fiscal rule and that it will provide “speed and good will” to analyze the proposals that will be sent.
“I reaffirm the Chamber of Deputies’ unwavering commitment to the fiscal framework. Any cost-cutting measure that is necessary to adjust public accounts will rely on all the effort, speed and goodwill of the House, which is willing to contribute and improve”, he said on a social network.
The mention of “improving” the proposal is a reflection of what opposition deputies intend to do, to reduce the speed of processing the government’s proposal. A group of parliamentarians even presented an alternative text last Wednesday (27), hours before the first information about Haddad’s project came to light, such as the Income Tax exemption for those earning up to R$5,000.
The exemption, however, generated distrust in the financial market and caused the dollar to soar in the last two days and hit R$6.11 this Friday (29). Lira stated that the Chamber is paying attention to this.
“Inflation and high dollars are problems that affect the poorest most severely. Any other government initiative that involves forgone revenue will only be addressed next year, and after a careful and above all realistic analysis of its sources of financing and effective impact on public accounts”, he pointed out without detailing what this analysis should be like.
He further added that “one thing at a time. Fiscal responsibility is non-negotiable.”
Still on Thursday (28), Pacheco explained that the proposals that reach Congress will begin processing through the Chamber. However, he added that he intends to submit it directly to the plenary, without going through the legislative committees.
“Our commitment is that, as soon as the Chamber of Deputies considers it, the Senate submits it directly to the Plenary. So that by the end of the year, before the break [daqui a três semanas]we can see these measures from the economic team appreciated”, said Pacheco.
The government intends to forward a proposed amendment to the Constitution and a complementary bill with a series of measures that should generate savings of R$70 billion over the next two years.
