July 16, 2021

09:07

Cassandra Castro

BRASILIA – The voting of the Budget Guidelines Law (LDO) for 2022 happened first in the House of Representatives. There were 278 votes in favor, 145 against and one abstention. Senators voted in a second session and approved the substitute text presented by the LDO reporter, Congressman Juscelino Filho (DEM-MA). There were 40 votes in favor and 33 against.

The LDO is the project that provides the guidelines for the preparation and execution of the Government’s Budget Law and defines how much and on what the Federal Government can spend the funds. The budget will be drafted in the second half of this year.

Even in the midst of controversies such as the increase in the amount of electoral financing, which is expected to rise from the current R$2 billion to R$5.7 billion, the LDO passed without any changes. The deadline for submitting amendments to the project had to be extended due to the large number of amendments received: there were 2,663, 1,890 of them to the text and 773 for inclusion of goals.

Among the priorities indicated by the approved text are the National Immunization Program (PNI), the agenda for early childhood and the expansion of the infrastructure of oncology care network. The approval of the LDO on the scheduled date allows the Congress to formally go into recess as of July 18.

Translated by Bruno Sena