Brasília - The author of the text of the government's latest budget bill (relator-geral do Orçamento), deputy Jorge Bittar (PT-RJ), reports that next year there will be R$11.4 billion available for government investments, an increase of 45% over the R$7.8 billion in the preliminary bill. "This is a significant advance," commemorated Bittar, adding that this year only R$1.4 billion was effectively invested, while R$4.2 billion was impounded. Bittar said he was optimistic about next year because the government would be able to spend what it was allocated, in an improved economic situation. "There is always the chance that we will have to impound something, but next year it is just a small chance," he concluded. (AB)