Government leader in the Senate stated that Lula’s vetoes to the time frame will be analyzed on Thursday in exchange for support for the reform
The leader of the Government in the Senate, Jacques Wagner (PT-BA), said on Monday (6.Nov.2023) that the tax reform rapporteur, senator Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), must incorporate 7 to 9 amendments agreed with the Executive into its opinion. He didn’t detail which ones. The report must be presented at the CCJ (Constitution and Justice Committee) of the Senate this Tuesday (7.Nov.2023).
Wagner said he was “trusting” that the text will be approved. He admitted that, in exchange for support, the government included the president’s vetoes on the agenda of the next session of Congress, scheduled for Thursday (November 9, 2023). Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to the time frame. The analysis of the topic was a demand from the ruralist bench.
“Everyone is on the ground working to approve the reform. We even talked to the opposition. It is not possible to say that this is a government proposal. Personally I’m very confident. […] I’m not going to say how many votes I have, but I’m saying that I’m going to approve tax reform.”the senator told journalists after participating in a meeting that lasted more than two hours with Lula, ministers and leaders of allied parties.
Wagner declared that the changes that will be made to the report were agreed with the government and, even though they were made at the last minute, they should not hinder the committee’s analysis of the text. Shortly after the meeting, which ended at around 10:25 pm, Braga returned to his office in the Senate. The suggested amendments were signed by the PT leader in the Senate, Fabiano Contarato (ES), because he is part of the CCJ.
According to the Government leader, the changes will not include new exceptions or benefits in the tax rules, but those already in the proposal must be reviewed every 5 years. Regarding the criticisms made to the text, Wagner stated that a tax reform will never satisfy anyone 100%. “Is this the dream tax reform? No. Each one has a flaw to point out. Nothing will be worse than the current situation, any reform will be better”he declared.
Timeframe
The government negotiated with the ruralist caucus the inclusion of presidential vetoes on the time frame for indigenous lands on the agenda of the Congress session on Thursday (9.Nov.2023). The measure was a way to improve the political environment in the Senate for the approval of tax reform.
“We have enough elements to convince, which range from the request to place certain vetoes in the Congress session on Thursday that are of interest to certain sectors, without the commitment of Government leaders to work to overturn the president’s veto, but the opposition it works. They just want you to put it to vote”said Wagner.
The congressman said he told the president that it was better to include the veto in the next session of Congress because “the time frame would have to come in at some point”.
According to the leader of the Government in Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues (without party-AP), the Executive has spoken with the FPA (Agricultural Parliamentary Front) on the topic. “The government has no problem debating, but the government’s position was expressed by the president in his veto. And this will be the position of the base in the analysis of the veto”he declared.
In addition to the president, ministers Fernando Haddad (Farm) and Alexandre Padilha (Institutional Relations) participated in the meeting, held at Palácio do Planalto. The following senators were also present:
- Confucius Moura (MDB-RO), vice leader of the Government in the Senate;
- David Alcolumbre (Brazil-AP Union), president from the CCJ;
- Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), reporter tax reform;
- Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA), Senator;
- Efraim Filho (Brazil-PB Union), senator and coordinator of the Tax Reform Working Group at CAE;
- Fabiano Contarato (PT-ES), leader PT in the Senate;
- Jacques Wagner (PT-BA), leader of the Government in the Senate;
- Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), senator;
- Otto Alencar (BA), leader from the PSD in the Senate;
- Randolfe Rodrigues (without party-AP), leader of the Government in Congress;
- Weverton Rocha (PDT-MA), vice leader of the Government in the Senate.
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