TCU opens process on request for investigation of the Benefits PEC

The Federal Audit Court (TCU) opened, this Tuesday (5), a process to analyze a request made by the Public Ministry to investigate the PEC of Benefits, which had its vote postponed in the Chamber of Deputies.

The TCU process is under the rapporteurship of Minister Aroldo Cedraz.

The Public Ministry’s request was made, on Monday (4), with the court to “know, evaluate and prevent the federal government, with regard to recent measures aimed at easing the spending ceiling, from compromising the fiscal balance of public accounts”.

The description of the process in the TCU system also points out that the purpose of the investigation is that, “given the imminence of approval of the PEC, the government will carry out studies and disclose how many people/families will receive the benefits created/extended”.

“With categorization [dos beneficiados] by municipality, gender, age group and level of education, so that the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) can accurately examine whether there was abuse of political/economic power in the upcoming October elections,” the lawsuit adds.

With debate between deputies, House committee postpones vote on Benefits PEC

With arguments, shouting, raised fingers and punches on the table, the special committee in the House that analyzes the Proposal for Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) on Benefits postponed the vote on the text at dawn this Wednesday (6). Now, the government’s expectation is that the text will be voted on in the collegiate on Thursday (7).

The Benefits PEC provides for the recognition of the state of emergency in 2022 and a package of BRL 41.25 billion in aid outside the spending ceiling three months before the elections.

The text creates an aid of R$ 1,000 for truck drivers and an as yet undefined amount for taxi drivers, in addition to expanding Auxílio Brasil to at least R$ 600 per month and the gas voucher to around R$ 120 each two months, among other points. These measures would be valid until December 31 of this year.

Opposition deputies tried to obstruct the discussion and eventual vote on the PEC. Although the opposition voted in favor of the PEC in the Senate, parliamentarians in the Chamber against the government of the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro (PL), claim that the measure is electoral in favor of the reelection of the representative.

Oppositionists claimed that there was no time to analyze the text of the PEC on Benefits in the commission, since it was attached to the PEC on Biofuels, the original object of the collegiate. They also argued that a deadline for submitting suggestions for changes to the text should be reopened.

They made several regimental questions about the progress of the PEC in the commission. At one point, when the collegiate president, Celina Leão (PP-DF), asked the rapporteur of the matter, Danilo Forte (União Brasil-Ceará), to read her favorable opinion and the substitutive text, which also included PEC 15, about biofuels, confusion began.

The opposition argued that all leaders should have the right to speak first. Celina did not allow this to be done before the reading, claiming to be following the regiment and, then, there was a quarrel between government deputies, like herself, and oppositionists.

Opposition deputies went to the commission’s board of directors and argued with Celina. There was shouting, raised fingers, and thumping on the table. Danilo Forte began to read his text in a higher tone to try to overcome the screams. He concluded the reading, there were some more speeches about the text and the postponement of the vote was confirmed.

Opponents claimed that requests to view – more time for analysis – were made after midnight on Wednesday. Therefore, the text could only be voted on on Friday, in their assessment.

However, Celina Leão validated a view request before midnight. Thus, government officials should be able to vote on the text on Thursday.

When created last month, the special commission aimed to analyze and vote on the merits of PEC 15/2022, also called PEC for Biofuels. This text focused on establishing a competitive advantage in biofuel prices over fossil fuel prices for end consumers.

To this end, it provided that the competitive advantage would be guaranteed by maintaining the difference between the rates applicable to each fossil fuel and to the biofuels that are its substitutes.

However, when the PEC on Benefits reached the Chamber, it was attached to the PEC on Biofuels in the special commission so that it could be processed more quickly in the House, according to the government’s wishes.

The two PECs were joined in a single text presented by Danilo Forte. If approved by the committee, it will be the text to be voted on in the plenary of the Chamber.

Forte decided to keep the core text of the Benefits PEC as approved in the Senate, without significant changes, although he considered including more categories to receive financial aid from the federal government.