NCP BLAST CPP FOR ABSTAINATIONSThe NCP House Majority Leader Andrew Murphy reamed out the CPP for Abstaining on every Bill that the NCP have brought to Congress since they assumed power 10 months ago. Thus far the NCP Controlled Congress has introduced six pieces of legislation, three conventional Bills and three Treaty Ratifications. While Bills C-1 and C-2, the new government budget and tax code, were able to pass with the NCP Majority Bill C-3, a comprehensive government reform bill, and the three Treaty Ratifications, require two third majorities, a number the ruling NCP are short of by 21 seats requiring the aid of the CPP to pass. On the CPP's Abstaining Andrew Murphy had this to say.
Andrew Murphy wrote:The CPP have done nothing since the election except waste the Hutorian People's time. While they have sat here in this House collecting their paycheques WE have been governing. Now because of their lack of action, we must spend more time on these Treaties which have stalled foreign relations. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated by this House, and I hope the Hutorian Voters remember the CPP's apathy in the next election.
NCP House Majority Leader Andrew Murphy during Question Period.
President Morrow didn't comment on the situation in Congress though he did state he was "Disappointed that these Treaties couldn't be brought to his desk the first time." Its widely expected the NCP will reintroduce the Government and Administrative Reform Act, along with the three Treaty ratifications, along with other Bills shortly.
DEFENCE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS AGENDA ON SCHEDULEDespite the hiccup in Congress at the Cabinet level the Morrow Adminstration continues pushing forward with their ambitious Foreign Agenda to reform the Hutorian image internationally. Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Woodbury has allegedly left Luthori following months of talks with the Royalists Party and the Royal Family, bringing many people to believe that Minister Woodbury concluded his talks about the possibility of a Royal Restoration in Hutori. While currently there is nothing on the books in Congress for a Constitutional Amendment to bring the Kingdom back into being, its widely believed that the attempted Ratification of the International Monarchist League Treaty was the first step that Hutori was heading in. Once it's able to pass Congress the expected Amendments and announcement of who the future Monarch of Hutori will be is expected to follow immediately afterwards. Woodbury is expected to head to Dorvik next, followed by several visits in Majatra and Dovani to increase Hutorian presence and footprint internationally.
In other news, Minister of Defence Derek Carter has returned to Hutori following months of talks and meeting with the Dorvik Ministry of Defence with the announcement that a deal was reached for the Dorvik Armed Forces to sell 200 Leopard 2 tanks to the Hutorian Army for 1 billion ARM. The entirety of the Hutorian Armed Forces, which are currently going through a review and reformation, are currently utilizing old equipment that well constantly modernized and updated, is now chronically outdated. The Hutorian military currently uses a combination of Hutorian and Luthorian equipment. Defence Minister Carter has promised that in addition to reforming the structure of the military, new equipment is their top concern right now.
In other news, despite posting a 4.5 billion HLR budget deficit Finance Minister Madi Lewis's first budget and reformed tax plan are being lauded as "prime examples of the way of reviving an economy". Even with a budget in the red, the reformed tax code caused a massive surge of money in taxpayers pockets which has seen the Hutorian economy increase by nearly 700 billion HLR, going from 1.5 to 2.2 trillion HLR predicted as the GDP by the end of the year; an explosive growth of some near 50%. Lewis has also promised that "next year's budget will take us back to the black, which when combined with further planned economic reforms will continue to allow us to raise above and beyond." When questioned about the planned economic changes, Lewis refused to comment. One rumour that is circulating that in addition to opening a new KFS office in Hutori and making a bid to host KFS's Head Office, they Hutori will be changing its new Primary Reserve Currency Luthorian Pound (LPD) to the Artanian Mark (ARM). The Luthorian Pound is said to be being moved to Hutori's Secondary Reserve Currency, replacing the Lodamese Dollar (LOD) entirely. Hutori is known to have one of the largest reserve currency supplies of LPD in the known world, the former colony having kept incredibly close ties to the Holy Empire for centuries. The move to replace PRC from the LPD to the ARM is thought merely to help Hutori expand its international markets into the Artanian Union as a whole.