PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS

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The President has the following powers and duties:

  1. To represent the Congress and receive the honours corresponding to his/her high office.
  2. To preside over the sittings of the Plenary Assembly, the Permanent Assembly and the Bureau. He is entitled to grant the floor, to call to order, to conduct the course of debates and voting, pursuant to constitutional, legal, and statutory procedural regulations.
  3. To abide by the legal order of the Nation and the Standing Rules, to protect the rights and powers of Members of Congress and parliamentary groups, to facilitate consensus and agreements, and to comply with and enforce the rules concerning the organization and operation of Congress as a forum of dialogue and deliberation that represents the political pluralism of the Nation.

(Amended subparagraph pursuant to Congress Legislative Resolution 011-2001-CR, Oct. 13, 2001).

  1. To sign, together with one of the Vice Presidents, the enrolled bills to be referred to the President of the Republic for their enactment.  He also has the power to enact legislation as set forth in the first paragraph in fine of Article 108 of the Constitution.  Likewise, he signs the Standing Rules, the enrolled Congress resolutions, agreements adopted by Congress and statutory rules for their subsequent publication as well as administrative resolutions he must sign in his capacity as responsible for the congressional budget, and other official documents.
  2. To submit draft bills regarding the congressional budget and the General Account of Congress for consideration by the Plenary Assembly, and to inform the Executive Council about the public works biddings, and procurement of goods and services, subject to budgetary resources in Congress.
  3. To submit for consideration by the Executive Council, the calendar of Plenary Assembly and Permanent Assembly, the official list of Committees and the list of Members of the Permanent Assembly, and any other plan or project aimed to facilitate or improve the conduct of sittings and the congressional productivity in general.
  4. To demand or compel the Government departments and public administration bodies to respond to information requests by Members of Congress, pursuant to the provisions of Article 96 of the Constitution.  If no reply is received within 15 days after the request was made, the President asks one of his Vice Presidents to reiterate the request, in accordance with Article 87 of the Standing Rules. To request the issuance of passports for Members listed under Law N° 23274, amended by Legislative Decree N° 832, and also for former Presidents of Congress who have no impediment to leave the country.

    (Amended subparagraph pursuant to Legislative Resolution 011-2011-CR, Oct. 13, 2001)

    (Amended subparagraph pursuant to Legislative Resolution 025-2005-CR, July 21, 2006)

  5. To oversee parliamentary units and the operation of the parliamentary service, and make the necessary arrangements for the smooth administration of the assets and human resources of the Congress.
  6. To order the publication in the official gazette “El Peruano” and other daily newspapers of tardy arrivals, absenteeism and partial attendance by Members to the sittings, unless they are in a committee sitting.
  7. Other powers as may be assigned by the Plenary Assembly or provided for in the Standing Rules.

 

The Vice Presidents substitute the President in their line of authority, and take on the functions delegated by him/her.   They also sign the official documents of Congress.

(Amended article pursuant to Congress Resolution, Mar. 6, 1998).

SOURCE: Technical Unit of the Secretariat General of the Congress

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