Lower House endorses reply to Speech from Throne

AMMAN — The Lower House on Tuesday endorsed its reply to His Majesty King Abdullah’s Speech from the Throne.

Under Article 79 of the Constitution, each of the two Houses of Parliament submits its reply to the Speech from the Throne. 

The House will refer its reply to the King within two weeks from His Majesty's inauguration of the ordinary session, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

During Tuesday's afternoon session, deputies continued with the election of its permanent committees.

Members of the financial, Palestine, villages and badia, national guidance, agriculture, economy and investment, foreign affairs, social development, family affairs, and water committees were selected. 

The Lower House bylaws set the maximum number of members of each committee at 11 and the minimum at 7.

Members of each committee will hold separate meetings on Wednesday to elect their chairpersons, vice chairs and rapporteurs, according to Petra.

In his Speech from the Throne, delivered on November 15, King Abdullah underlined that Jordan has succeeded in turning challenges into opportunities by adopting a comprehensive roadmap seeking to achieve progress, sustainable development and a better future for Jordanians. 

The King cited the municipalities, decentralisation, political parties and elections laws as the cornerstones of the envisioned reform, calling for "the highest degree of cooperation and coordination between all institutions" to build on success achieved in various sectors.

Improving the living conditions of Jordanians is the first and foremost national priority, His Majesty told lawmakers, calling for more efforts to achieve that.