Pan-blue lawmakers yesterday once again blocked a couple of bills proposed by the government and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Procedure Committee, prompting a DPP legislator to call them barbaric.
"If only the bills sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] and People First Party [PFP] can be put on the agenda, then it isn't necessary to have the Procedure Committee," DPP Legislator Chen Hsien-chung (陳憲中) said.
Bills blocked in the committee included the arms procurement budget, the bill to review the president's nominations for the Control Yuan, some budget bills and bills related to economic development and social welfare.
PFP Legislator Lin Hui-kuan (林惠官) and KMT Legislator Joanna Lei (
"You at least must give a reason why you don't want to put them on the agenda. As long as the proposals fit in with the requirements to become formal bills, then how can you block them?" Chen said.
The Procedure Committee could be called the most barbaric place on earth, as any legislator can block bills without a reason, Chen said.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
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