Battle of the budget (4): vote is scheduled for today

17/04/2006 - 21h21

Iolando Lourenço
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The president of the Congress, senator Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), has scheduled a vote on the 2006 budget (Orçamento Geral da União) for 11:00 am today. "The budget has to be voted on. There is no reason for further delay. There are only a few small details to be worked out. If we cannot reach a consensus, we will just decide the thing by a vote," said Calheiros.

In order to ensure a quorum for the vote, Calheiros announced he has contacted party leaders and ordered them to mobilize their members.

Translation: Allen Bennett