With unaccustomed expedience, the Chamber of Deputies approved the National Budget Bill. The budget totals RD$44,671 million, and if passed by the Senate would go into effect 1 January 1999. The Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) block within the Chamber of Deputies complained that the bill was approved because of covert negotiations between the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD) and the ruling Partido de la Liberación Dominicana. The bill now goes to the Senate for approval. The president of the Chamber of Deputies Hector Peguero Méndez, a dissident PRD man, was the only deputy to speak during the 35-minute session in which the bill was passed. The Chamber of Deputies made adjustments for RD$400 million pesos, shifting funding from one ministry or department to another. Both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate received increased allotments for RD$63 million in the negotiations. The Judicial Branch also received RD$100 million more in its budget.
