BUDGET
Senate advances costly bills with eyes on the election
Rural producers celebrate after the Senate approved a bill to help them repay their debts. Photo: Carlos Moura/Senate
The Senate likes to see itself as the moderating force of Brazil’s Congress, tempering the House's excesses and preserving the institutional character of policymaking. But, once again, the upper chamber has given reason to doubt that self-image. In a single day, it advanced three so-called “fiscal bombs” — proposals forcing the government to significantly increase spending.
The headline item consisted of debt renegotiation for large rural producers, approved on the Senate floor despite the government's objections. Finance Minister Dario Durigan put the bill’s cost at BRL 140 billion (USD 27b) over a decade, down from an earlier estimate of BRL 800 billion, before the text had been diluted.
Two committee votes racked up similarly high checks:
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