The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is today expected to push through its version of the special budget bill, with the addition of a universal NT$10,000 (US$342) cash handout and scrapping a subsidy for Taiwan Power Co (Taipower).
The Legislative Yuan is scheduled to begin article-by-article voting at 5pm, including the third reading of the NT$410 billion special budget bill.
The Executive Yuan on April 24 approved the special budget to counter the effects of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The proposed budget includes NT$93 billion for economic resilience, NT$150 billion for whole-of-society defense resilience and NT$167 billion for social support, which includes a NT$100 billion subsidy for Taipower.
The special budget is the first item on today’s legislative agenda as proposed by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). More than 50 legislators registered to speak during today’s session.
The KMT has 52 votes, including independent lawmaker Ciwas Ali, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has 51 votes and the TPP has eight.
The opposition is not expected to provide a joint proposal for amendments to the bill, as the KMT and the TPP failed to reach a consensus on the value of the cash handouts.
The KMT aims to scrap a NT$100 billion subsidy for Taipower and allocate NT$235 billion of the special budget for universal NT$10,000 cash handouts. Its proposal would inflate the special budget from NT$410 billion to NT$545 billion.
The TPP also proposed slashing the Taipower subsidy, but wants to allocate NT$140 billion of the budget for NT$6,000 universal cash handouts.
The TPP also proposed increasing funding for labor and health insurance programs by almost NT$270 billion.
The KMT's proposal would place the Ministry of Economic Affairs in charge of the act, while the TPP designated the National Development Council.
The KMT supports the NT$150 billion whole-of-society budget, but is insisting on the NT$10,000 cash handouts being included in the special budget, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) said.
The KMT hopes the DPP will not obstruct the third reading and the legislative process, he said.
As for the Taipower subsidy, the KMT asks that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) give a special report to the legislature to clarify whether subsidizing the company would prevent electricity price hikes and whether a comprehensive review of national energy policies is needed, he said.
DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) criticized the KMT, saying it only decided to keep the whole-of-society defense budget for fear of the upcoming recall votes against its legislators.
The KMT is adamant about the cash handouts to swing the recall vote, slashing the NT$100 billion Taipower subsidy in the process, she said, adding that if electricity prices rise, the public should hold the KMT and the TPP accountable.
While visiting Changhua County to see the damage caused by Typhoon Danas, Cho this afternoon urged the KMT and TPP to support the Taipower subsidy.
The parties should stand with the nation and its people at the very moment that Taipower staff are working hard to restore electricity for many in the country, Cho said.
If the NT100 billion subsidy is scrapped, the government would be ashamed to face Taipower employees, who have been working around the clock.
The subsidy would ensure that Taipower's workforce, resources and budget are sufficient and people’s lives could return to normal as soon as possible, he said.
Additional reporting by Li Wen-hsin and CNA
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