The Governing Board of the Chamber decided on Tuesday (17), that they will release the names of companies and numbers of invoices submitted by deputies for the refund of indemnifications. The president of the Chamber, Michel Temer, affirmed that those data will be available on the Chamber’s website in 45 days, the term established by the technical sector of the House.

The indemnification, amounting to a monthly R$15,000 (US$ 6,500), can be used in expenses with rent, office maintenance, food for the congressman/congresswoman, services on consulting and research, security, subscription to publications, Cable TV, internet, transportation and hotels for the congressman/congresswoman and their assistants, among others. The citizens have currently only access to the general amount paid by the congressman/congresswoman on those services through the website of the Chamber, at the menu “Transparency”.

The deputies monthly submit to the Chamber 17,000 bills and invoices. The First Secretary of the Chamber, Deputy Rafael Guerra (PSDB-MG), informed that they will be available at the House for the citizen’s consultation, since it would be difficult to publish 17,000 invoices and bills on the internet.

Study on incorporation
Rafael Guerra will coordinate the assembling of the system on the data release of the indemnifications. He informed that he will also make a financial study on the impact of a possible incorporation of the indemnification to the salary of the deputies. He said that that subject has not been discussed at the meeting on Tuesday at the Board, but is in the agenda of the press and needs to be evaluated.

For Rafael Guerra, a possible incorporation will only be approved if it represents an expense reduction. He also alerted on the need to evaluate the cascade effect that could be generated on the legislative houses by that change.

Report - Marcello Larcher
Editing – Noéli Nobre
Translation – Positive Idiomas Ltda