Brazil's House Speaker Hugo Motta Ties Fuel Tax Bill Vote to Removal of Work‑hour Reform Urgency

Hugo Motta, president of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies, announced that the legislative agenda for Wednesday will focus on a proposal that uses the surge in oil‑related tax revenue to offset reductions in federal fuel and biofuel taxes (PLP 114/26). He conditioned the vote on this fuel tax bill on the removal of the urgent status of Project Law 1838/26, which establishes a 40‑hour weekly work limit and ends the 6‑days‑on‑1‑day‑off schedule.

Motta said the urgency of the work‑hour reform has blocked other proposals in the plenary since late May. He is negotiating with the government to have the urgency lifted, noting that a constitutional amendment reducing the workweek has already been approved. If the urgency is withdrawn by tomorrow, only the fuel tax bill—presented by government leader Paulo Pimenta and reported by deputy Marussa Boldrin—will be scheduled for a vote. The condition adds uncertainty to the legislative calendar and could affect both fuel market expectations and the progress of labor reform in Brazil.