On March 27, Brazilian Congress took the first steps towards the creation of a Data Protection Authority. The creation of such body was determined by Provisional Measure # 869/2018, enacted on the last days of President Temer’s administration.

The Congress created a committee composed of 13 Senators and 13 Representatives to analyze the Provisional Measure. Representative Orlando Silva was designated as the rapporteur of the committee and Senator Eduardo Gomes as the chairman.

In his speech, Representative Silva mentioned the importance of the creation of the Data Protection Authority and his intention to expedite the works of the committee to provide a quick analysis of the theme. The work plan of the committee and the schedule of the public hearings and reunions to be held shall be presented on the committee’s next meeting, which may occur next week.

Below is a concise profile of the rapporteur and the chairman of the committee.

REPRESENTATIVE ORLANDO SILVA

Rapporteur of the committee

Orlando Silva is a Representative at the Brazilian National Congress. He began his political career in the student movement, being the first black president of Brazilian major student’s union (UNE), and became a member of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCdoB). During Lula’s and Dilma Roussef’s administration, Mr. Silva was Minister of Sports. He has also worked as a city council member in São Paulo and is currently in his second consecutive term in the House of Representatives. Mr. Silva was the rapporteur of the bill that originated Brazilian Data Protection Act.

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SENATOR EDUARDO GOMES

Chairman of the committee

Eduardo Gomes is a Senator at Brazilian Federal Senate for the State of Tocantins. He is also a businessman and, before becoming a politician, he worked as a professor. Mr. Gomes started his public life as councilor of the city of Palmas and was elected a Representative for the first time in 2002, having served 3 consecutive terms as a member of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). He moved to the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) to run for the Brazilian Federal Senate in 2018 and he is the President’s vice-leader in the Federal Senate. He has participated in Committees regarding technology, climate change and Federal Government Budget.

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