The Executive Branch submitted the National Budget bill to Congress today. The bill freezes government employee wages to levels of May 1998, and includes a 10-20% reduction in allotments for expenditures for supplies, travel, per diem, telephone usage, advertising, printed material and vehicle purchases, among others. The Presidency sent the 1999 National Budget that totals RD$44,600 million (almost US$3 billion) to the Chamber of Deputies. The budget is 12% larger than last year’s. Traditionally, the government has sent the bill to the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies has been more open to bills submitted by the Presidency. The budget allots RD$17,000 million, or 38%, to health, education, potable water and sewage services; RD$11,638 million (26%) to farming, irrigation, energy, transportation, roads construction and maintenance; and RD$6,400 (13%) to pay the public debt. Education received the highest chapter, RD$6,877.6 million, 16%. Education has the largest chapter of the budget or 16%, RD$6,877.6 million.
