NewsWhore
12-27-2007, 06:50 PM
The Chamber of Deputies approved the 2008 budget and public spending law yesterday. The budget is for a total of RD$300 billion. The budget's approval was declared urgent and was passed without any modifications by the Chamber where ruling party legislators hold the majority. PRSC deputies also voted in favor of approving the budget as sent by the President's office. PRSC spokesman Ramon Rogelio Genao argued that to fail to do so would place the RD$16 billion budgetary surplus at the discretion of the Executive Branch, which is likely to use it to fund President Leonel Fernandez's candidacy, as he told Listin Diario. President Fernandez is seeking re-election in May 2008. The budget should have been sent to Congress in October, but the Executive Branch delayed until last minute to present it for approval.
Hoy writes that 89 of the 121 deputies present voted in favor of the bill while 10 were against and 22 abstained. In the 178-legislator Chamber of Deputies, the ruling PLD has a majority of 96 deputies. Of the leading opposition parties, the PRD has 60 and the PRSC has 22.
Opposition PRD deputies had asked for the budget to be read at a bi-chamber committee, but that proposal was rejected. The budget now moves to the Senate and should be passed with no problems since 22 of the 32 Senators are PLD members.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Hoy writes that 89 of the 121 deputies present voted in favor of the bill while 10 were against and 22 abstained. In the 178-legislator Chamber of Deputies, the ruling PLD has a majority of 96 deputies. Of the leading opposition parties, the PRD has 60 and the PRSC has 22.
Opposition PRD deputies had asked for the budget to be read at a bi-chamber committee, but that proposal was rejected. The budget now moves to the Senate and should be passed with no problems since 22 of the 32 Senators are PLD members.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)