Yesterday the senate voted to include the Jose Francisco Pe?a Gomez as part of the nomenclature of Santo Domingo?s airport. The bill to create the ?Las Americas Dr. Jose Francisco Pe?a Gomez International Airport? passed by unanimous vote of the 19 senators present in the 30-member chamber and will now be sent to the Chamber of Deputies. The same proposal was approved by both houses two years ago, immediately following the death of the 61-year old leader of the PRD Party, but was vetoed by President Leonel Fernandez. President Hipolito Mejia has said that he would sign the measure when it reaches his desk. The Senate also received a resolution from four PLD members to petition the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Environment to forbid the import of pesticides. The measure was sent to the Senate?s Environmental Affairs Committed for study. In the Chamber of Deputies, Speaker Rafaela Alburquerque announced that the members were on the verge of approving the ?Law of Hydrocarbons and Fossil Fuels,? which would allow local fuel prices to fluctuate in accordance with international prices. Former President and PRSC Party head, Joaquin Balaguer, has ?ordered? all PRSC Deputies to vote in favor of the measure, according to Alburquerque. Two other measures are making progress in the Chamber of Deputies. One would increase from the 4% to 7% the amount of the national budget allocated for the administration of municipalities. The other would provide 2.5% of the national budget for the Supreme Court and national courts administration. The Mejia administration favors both measures.
