The KMT and PFP legislature caucuses yesterday jointly drew up a draft bill proposing a special budget of NT$25 billion to finance medical care expenses and other aid packages designed for the prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
The NT$25 billion budget would not be counted and included under the Public Debt Law (公共債務法), according to the draft proposal.
In other words, the proposed draft bill suggests creating a NT$25 billion special budget for medical care expenses and relevant aid packages despite the government's current debt.
According to the Public Debt Law, the government is permitted to carry a debt that is no more than 15 percent of its annual budget.
"However, the NT$25 billion should only be considered after the government has first sought finance resources allocated from various government agencies and the Cabinet's Second Reserve Fund," said KMT Legislator Tseng Yung-chuan (
Tseng said that the KMT and the PFP legislature caucuses would negotiate with those of the DPP and the TSU today about their version of the draft bill that was drawn up to assist in the fight against SARS.
"We hope the draft bill can be approved soon by the Legislative Yuan so we can put the bill into effect as soon as possible," said Tseng at a press conference at KMT headquarters yesterday, after a two-hour meeting with the PFP legislative caucus to discuss details of the draft bill
Noting that the draft bill is aimed at empowering the government with more authority to control the SARS situation, the proposal stated that the government should stop using the fund if no new SARS cases are reported for three months straight.
Other measures in the draft bill included requiring the government to provide medical expenses for Taiwanese infected with SARS, whether or not they are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program. The plan would also apply to Taiwanese living in China, added Tseng.
The government should provide financial aid, via tax exemption or compensation, to SARS-infected individuals who have the ability to obtain employment.
Financial aid should also be given to business establishments, shops and medical centers that have been forced to temporarily shut down their services and operation due to SARS.
While allowing the government to impose penalties on suspected SARS patients who ignore quarantine measures, the proposed legislation also required the government to offer compensation to individuals who originally were put under compulsory quarantine after showing SARS-like symptoms but later proved to be uninfected.
Meanwhile, DPP legislative caucus leader Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said that the DPP will present its version of the draft bill today.
"We are ready to negotiate with the opposition parties on details of the draft," he said.
The DPP version, said Chen, would include financial aid packages to SARS-affected industries, via low-interest loans and tax cuts.
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