Lower House to discuss US-Jordan treaty on Tuesday

AMMAN — Following a week off, the Lower House is scheduled to resume meetings on Tuesday to discuss a US-Jordan draft treaty that was put on hold until the full text was received by lawmakers. 

MPs took a week-long vacation following the six sessions they spent on the 2015 draft elections law, which they passed on last Tuesday. 

The House’s seven-day vacation was the longest so far after MPs were off for four days from January 15 to 19 following their endorsement of the 2016 draft state budget law.

The 150-strong House is scheduled to discuss the draft Treaty of Mutual Assistance on Criminal Matters signed between Jordan and the US.

On February 15, the Chamber decided to postpone its deliberation of the draft treaty until it received a full copy of the agreement. Some lawmakers accused the government of approving an agreement that violates the Kingdom’s sovereignty. 

At the time, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour apologised for not sending the agreement’s supplement, stressing lawmakers’ right to know everything regarding the treaty and calling for an investigation into why it arrived incomplete to the House.

On Sunday, the House Legal Committee completed its review of the 2015 draft integrity and anti-corruption law to be referred to the Chamber for deliberations.

MP Abdul Munim Odat, chair of the panel, said the bill aims at ensuring compliance with the National Integrity Charter in addition to enhancing anti-corruption tools and combating attempts at character assassination. 

As per the law, the Ombudsman Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Commission will be integrated into one entity called the national centre for integrity and anti-corruption.

Also on Sunday, the House Financial Committee concluded its review of the Audit Bureau’s 2009-2012 report to be referred next week to the Chamber.