The Special Committee on Welfare Reform Meets on Tuesday

By Arkady Petrov

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Privatization is yesterday’s political polemics. The market wants Brazil to work more and earn less from government pension plans. That is why the pension reform is the new sexy.

The special commission that will examine the merits of the social security reform in the House will hold its first ordinary meeting on Tuesday (7th), at 2:30 pm.

In line with the schedule presented by the president of the collegiate, Deputy Marcelo Ramos (PR-AM), 11 public hearings will be held with some 60 guests to discuss the topic.

According to Ramos, although it is suggested that 130 people should be heard, this number should be reduced. “I can not use the argument to hold a public hearing and make the moment of the matter unfeasible to be voted. I will try to arrange so that we can have more time to discuss the amendments,” he said.

The parliamentarian also said that the work in the collegiate needs to be coordinated with the building of a majority in the plenary. “There is no point in voting in the committee without the guarantee in plenary,” he said.

Marcelo Ramos wants to approve the reform in the commission and deliver the text for analysis by the House Plenary until July.

Office of intelligence

To ensure the 308 votes required for approval of the measure in the House, the government will place technicians from the Ministry of Economy to clear doubts about the proposal at the disposal of deputies, starting next Tuesday (7th).

As reported by the government leader in Congress, Congresswoman Joice Hasselmann (PSL-SP), this “intelligence cabinet” on Welfare will be set up in a room of government leadership in Congress and will operate mainly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

“The group of the Ministry of Economy will give information to the congressmen, removing any doubts that may exist in relation to the text, inclusively by region. We want to provide security for parliamentarians to explain to their voters why the new Social Security is so important,” said Joice.

Procedure

The special commission will be composed of 49 members and 49 substitutes from 25 parties with representation in the Chamber.

In the special committee, the merit of the proposal shall be examined. This committee shall have a time limit of up to 40 sessions of the Plenary, counting from its formation, to approve an opinion.

Only in the special committee may amendments be presented, with a minimum of 171 signatures of deputies each, within ten sessions of the Plenary.

The rapporteurship of the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution is under the responsibility of Representative Samuel Moreira (PSDB-SP).

After the publication of the opinion by the special committee and the interval of two sessions, the proposal will be included in the agenda of the House Plenary, where it will be submitted to two rounds of discussion and voting.

Between the two rounds, there is an interval of five plenary sessions. To be approved, the proposal must have, in both rounds, three-fifths of the votes of the Members – 308, in a roll-call vote.

Then the text is sent to the Senate where it will be submitted to a new procedure.