Commission Approves Additional Funding for the Federal Police to Resume Issuing Passports in Brazil

07/05/2017 - 09h50

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ANGELA BOLDRINI

FROM BRASÍLIA

The Mixed Budgetary Commission, made up of federal congressman and senators, approved on Tuesday (the 4th) a bill for supplementary credit of R$102.4 million (US$ 31 million) for the Federal Police (PF) to enable them to resume issuing passports in Brazil.

The text had been sent by the Federal Government to the Congress on the 28th of June, one day after the Federal Police announced that they would cease issuing the documents due to a lack of resources.

"We are here fixing a dramatic mistake, which affects several thousand people", declared the Commission's President, Senator Dário Berger (PMDB/SC).

Initially, the bill had stipulated that the funds would be taken from Education. After criticism, the government withdrew it and sent an official communication to Congress altering the budget allocation that had been affected.

Now, the bill should pass in a voting session of Congress and if approved, will move on for Presidential approval.

There is no timeframe set for the service to resume normal functioning, but the amount should, according to the government, guarantee the issuance of passports by the end of the year.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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