Senate recognizes state of calamity in RS and facilitates use of resources for reconstruction; text is promulgated | Policy

The Federal Senate approved this Tuesday (7) a federal government project that recognizes the state of public calamity in Rio Grande do Sul until December 31, 2024 due to the heavy rains that have hit the state since the last week. The text was promulgated by the president of Congress, senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG).

The objective of the proposal is to facilitate the transfer of public funds to the state to help rescue and rebuild regions affected by the storms.

“I believe there is no doubt about the seriousness that our Rio Grande do Sul is facing at the moment. It is not an exaggeration to say that this tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul can be considered the Brazilian Katrina, in reference to the flood that devastated the city of New Orleans, in the United States, in 2005”, explained Senator Paulo Paim (PT-RS) in his report.

Pacheco stated that a group of Senate employees carried out a joint effort in recent days and collected 5,263 blankets from couples that will be sent to Rio Grande do Sul by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the draft legislative decree after a meeting at Palácio do Planalto, on Monday (6), with the presidents of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco. The vice-president of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Luiz Edson Fachin, and government ministers also participated.

Lula signs draft legislative decree recognizing state of public calamity in RS

The project, in practice, allows the resources used in actions related to Rio Grande do Sul are not subject to the parameters of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, that is, do not enter the amount subject to the spending ceiling.

According to the text, expenses paid with extraordinary credit and tax waivers necessary to face the state of calamity will not be included in the fiscal results and the government will not need to contingency the Budget to meet the target.

Tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul leaves 90 dead and 131 missing

In addition to the issue of the fiscal limit, the approved project also exempts Rio Grande do Sul from limits, conditions and other applicable restrictions and other entities with regard to:

• contracting and adding credit operations;
• granting of guarantees;
• contracting between Federation entities;
• receipt of voluntary transfers.

According to Pacheco, it will be up to the commission to centralize proposals aimed at recovering the state. The commission will also visit the state to identify actions that can be taken and to monitor the work of authorities in the affected cities.