President Hipólito Mejía announced that he favors that Congress pass the bill that would automatically index petroleum prices locally to international market prices. This would relieve the President himself from having to increase fuel prices. The bill was submitted in October 1999, shortly after then President Leonel Fernández decreed an increase in local fuel prices. President of the Senate Ramon Alburquerque said that both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will pass the bill as is the desire of the President. The bill needs first to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which has yet to session.
