With affirmative votes from 25 of the 26 senators present, the Senate approved the National Budget for RD$613.14 billion yesterday evening, Wednesday 6 November.
In the same session, the senators passed the bills to modify Law 158-01 on Tourism Development and its previous changes, and a bill that declares Los Cachuas of Cabral as national folkloric heritage characters.
The Senate passed the supplementary budget that modifies the original budget sent earlier. This budget contains salary increases for the health and agriculture sector as well as the military and police and RD$500 million for the Monte Grande dam, along with other changes.
Budget director Luis Reyes complained that Congress has passed 25 laws that set the percentage of the budget for a specific sector and that commit 67% of the budget, making compliance impossible and limited to certain areas like education. Reyes called for an increase in tax revenues and a reduction in the informal sectors. He was speaking at a discussion on the 2014 Budget organized by the American Chamber of Commerce.