Brasília, 8/142003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The first vote on the government's social security reform bill was concluded last night in the Chamber of Deputies with the approval of a single amendment with four items. 1. It lowered the reduction of pensions from 50% to 30% of amounts above the ceiling of R$2,400; 2. reduced the amount of time civil servants have to hold a post in order to receive a full pension from 10 years to 5 years; 3. permits widows to receive full pensions in cases when a civil servant on active duty dies in a workplace accident; and 4. increases the ceiling on tax exempt benefits for retirees from R$1,200 to R$1,440.

The final vote on the amendment was 444 to 7, with 10 abstentions.

A final, second vote on the bill is scheduled for August 20. If approved, it will then go to the Senate. (AB)