Brasília, 2/4/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The so-called parallel constitutional amendment for social security reform (PEC paralela da reforma da Previdência) has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) and will go to a floor vote. It has already been approved by the Senate.

According to deputy Maurício Rands (PT-PE), who is in charge of the bill's text, the main idea is to put a halt to super salaries in Brazilian public service. He explains that a lot of attention has been given to closing off possible loopholes in the bill which would allow civil servants to receive exorbitant retirement pay checks. The commission looked at the problem at all levels of government (local, state and federal) and in all branches of government. (AB)