Accounting includes reimbursements of deputies, senators and former congressmen in relation to the members of each House
In 2021, senators and former senators spent R$34,276 a month on health. In the Chamber, it was R$ 1,679 per deputy. The figure includes reimbursement and health plans and shows an expenditure almost 20 times higher in the Senate. Data were obtained via LAI (Access to Information Law). One of the reasons for this is that dependents and former senators have access to cost reimbursement. In the Chamber, no.
The Senate’s total spending was R$31.7 million in 2021, a historic record. In the 2 previous years it had been R$ 17.3 million and R$ 16.8 million. In 2021 alone, BRL 10.3 million was paid. The trend continues in 2022, with an average monthly expenditure of R$37,909 in the first 2 months of the year, with a total expenditure of R$2.4 million.
In the Chamber, the situation was different. Even at the height of the pandemic, expenses were lower than in 2018. In 2021, the expense was R$ 10.3 million. In 2018, with data corrected by the IPCA, it was R$ 11.4 million.
In January and February 2022, spending per senator was 37 times that recorded per deputy. But the amounts may change because there are expenses to be presented for reimbursement.
Lira increases reimbursement
In March 2021, the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL) increased reimbursement amounts paid with simplified approval to deputies from R$50,000 to R$135,400. blamed the “medical inflation“. It was 1 month before the height of the pandemic in Brazil.
Analysis
These numbers show how progress in controlling public spending is very slow in Brazil. There are improvements, such as the Spending Ceiling. But the rules are enforced with different rigor between the Powers.
The Executive bears most of the burden. In some years he had to spend less to compensate for the high of the others.
Within each Power there is also an imbalance. The glaring difference between senators and deputies is proof of that.
The salary for both is the same. But the benefits that senators allow themselves are much greater. There is no justification for this.
There is also the problem of transparency. House and Senate allege medical secrecy and do not disclose how much each congressman earned in compensation. Nor the number of beneficiaries. The American judge Louis Brandeis defended transparency with the phrase: the best disinfectant is sunlight. In the case of Congress, the infection is present and far from being attacked.
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