Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) on Thursday (27) named the rapporteurs for five bills the Lula administration considers a priority. The picks share two traits: all are allies of the president, and all are involved in the 2026 election campaign, CartaCapital reported.

The bills will be reviewed during Congress's "esforço concentrado," a week of concentrated voting sessions scheduled for August 31 to September 4. The assignments came one day after Lula hosted Alcolumbre and lower house Speaker Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB) for lunch at the Alvorada Palace. At the meeting, the three agreed to move forward on ending the 6x1 work schedule (six days on, one day off), scrapping the "taxa das blusinhas" (a 20% import tax on international online purchases of up to 50 dollars), the critical minerals framework and the Public Security constitutional amendment.

Allies in charge of the agenda

The clearest case is Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), rapporteur of the amendment that ends the 6x1 schedule and a candidate for governor of Amazonas with Lula's backing. Aziz had already been picked for the role by the Constitution and Justice Committee chairman, Otto Alencar (PSD-BA), on August 21. The Public Security amendment goes to Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE), who is running for reelection on Lula's slate in Sergipe. According to CartaCapital, the proposal should advance in committee during the voting week and may reach the Senate floor.

The critical minerals bill, which covers rare earths, will be reported by Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), a reelection candidate and Lula's preferred name in Amazonas. The provisional measure on the "blusinhas" tax goes to Leila Barros (PDT-DF), who is running for reelection in the Federal District on the PT ticket. The fifth bill is Redata, which grants tax breaks for data centers and is a priority of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services. Its rapporteur will be Cid Gomes (PSD-CE), chosen by Lula for the PT ticket in Ceará.

Blusinhas tax races the deadline

The joint committee reviewing the measure that ended the blusinhas tax was installed on Friday (28), with Congressman Reginaldo Lopes (PT-MG) as chairman and Leila Barros as rapporteur, G1 reported. Leila presents her opinion on Monday (31), and the committee may vote the same day. On Wednesday (2), the measure is expected to go to the floor of both houses.

"My schedule is open to listen to everyone," Reginaldo Lopes told G1. Leila Barros, who said she is "absolutely in favor" of the government's original text, told Folha de S.Paulo: "We will dialogue as calmly as possible with everyone who has spoken out. It will be a task force on Saturday and Sunday."

Published in May, the measure must be approved by September 8. If no vote happens, the 20% tax returns on September 9, on the eve of the election. The issue was unblocked at the Alvorada lunch. "I make a commitment, as I did with Motta, with Brazil, which needs this measure in force, that next week, in the short time of the concentrated effort, we will deliberate, so it can be signed into law," Alcolumbre said, according to G1.

The rapporteur assignments come as Lula and Alcolumbre mend ties. The relationship had soured after the nomination and Senate rejection of Jorge Messias for the Supreme Court. In recent weeks, the two resumed dialogue and have met at least three times, according to CartaCapital. Alcolumbre told Folha the blusinhas measure "will not expire" and praised Lula's "courage." Next week will test the deal: besides the tax measure, the 6x1 amendment is ready for a committee vote, and the Public Security amendment may reach the Senate floor.