Chamber expands benefits and now deputies can use quota to check baggage

Deputies will now be able to use the parliamentary quota to pay for checked baggage and internet access services during the flight. The act of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Deputies that altered the change was published at the end of December, close to the end of parliamentary activity and published only last Friday, 10. The information was released by the G1 and confirmed by Estadão.

This is yet another expansion of the benefit on the eve of the election of a new president of the House. Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB) has the support of Arthur Lira (PP-AL) and is the favorite to succeed him.

In 2023, when Lira was seeking reelection, he distributed a package of benefits to all 513 deputies that amounted to R$70 million. Parliamentarians had a salary increase, an increase in the fuel spending ceiling and another increase in housing assistance.

To date, the Chamber has spent R$228.7 million on the parliamentary quota. Of this amount, R$35.3 million was spent on air tickets.

THE Estadão showed that there are cases that may deviate from the original allocation of the funds. There are cases in which the resource was used to pay for wine, beer and a trip to Bonito (MS).

In 2024, the Federal Police carried out two search and seizure operations in cases of investigation into possible irregular use of the parliamentary quota. In the first case, revealed in October, the PF went to addresses linked to federal deputy Gustavo Gayer (PL-GO) for an alleged criminal association aimed at diverting parliamentary quotas. Gayer says the searches are “aimed at harming him.”

The last operation took place in December. The PF searched addresses linked to deputies Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ) and Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) in an investigation investigating suspected misuse of parliamentary quotas.

Deputies can earn reimbursement from the Chamber via parliamentary quota if they spend on:

• airline tickets;
• telephone bill for the representative’s functional telephone number, offices, state offices and functional properties;
• maintenance of offices to support parliamentary activity – in the case of property rental, electricity, water and sewage, internet access, etc.;
• subscription to publications, such as newspapers;
• food exclusively for the deputy;
• accommodation, except in the Federal District;
• aircraft rental or charter;
• vehicle rental or charter, with a limit of R$ 12,713.00 per month and insurance contracting permitted;
• rental or charter of vessels;
• taxi, Uber, toll and parking services, with a limit of R$2,700 per month;
• land, sea or river passages;
• fuels and lubricants, with a monthly limit of R$9,392;
• security services from specialized companies, with a limit of R$8,700.00 per month;
• disclosure of parliamentary activity, with the exception of 120 days prior to the date of the elections, if the deputy is a candidate;
• participation in courses, conferences or events, held by a specialized institution, with a monthly limit of R$7,697.17;
• supplementary housing allowance, with a monthly limit of R$4,148.80;
• acquisition of tokens and digital certificates.