# Law No. 2994 of December 10, 1956

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648979](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648979)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-2994-of-december-10-1956

## Summary

Law No. 2994 of December 10, 1956 (Lei nº 2994/1956) is a Brazilian statute promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek that authorizes special budgetary credits (crédito especial) for public works and activities of the Ministry of Transport of Brazil (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas). Published in Rio de Janeiro, this law represents a formal legislative act creating specific financial authorization for infrastructure-related government expenditures during Brazil's developmental era under the Kubitschek administration.

## Key Facts

- **Official Title:** Lei nº 2994, de 10 de dezembro de 1956
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2994/1956
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **President:** Juscelino Kubitschek
- **Date of Promulgation:** December 10, 1956
- **Publication Place:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Classification:** Statute (instance_of: statute)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-12-10;2994
- **Applies to Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Main Subjects:** Special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial), Public works (Obra Pública), Ministry of Transport of Brazil (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas)
- **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2994.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **Wikimedia Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws (on focus list)

## FAQs

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 2994/1956?**

Law No. 2994 of December 10, 1956 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. It is the physical expression of a legal rule enacted by legislative authority, in this case, the federal government of Brazil.

**Who promulgated Law No. 2994/1956?**

The law was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. The determination method was formal promulgation on December 10, 1956.

**What is the subject matter of Law No. 2994/1956?**

This law concerns special budgetary adjustments (crédito especial) specifically allocated for public works (obra pública) and the activities of the Ministry of Transport of Brazil (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas). It represents a financial authorization mechanism allowing the executive branch to allocate funds for infrastructure projects.

**Where can Law No. 2994/1956 be accessed?**

The full text of the law is available through the official website of the Brazilian federal government at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2994.htm, and through the LEXML legal database at the URN urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-12-10;2994.

**What is the relationship between this law and the concept of "statute"?**

Law No. 2994/1956 is an instance of a statute, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law. Statutes are foundational legal concepts classified as written works and documents that manifest statutory law. This particular law exemplifies how statutes function as the official record of legal rules enacted by governmental authority, in this case creating specific budgetary powers for infrastructure development.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 2994 of December 10, 1956 matters as a historical legal document that illustrates Brazil's mid-20th century approach to infrastructure development and governmental financial authorization. During the Kubitschek administration, Brazil experienced significant push toward industrialization and infrastructure modernization, with the Ministry of Transport playing a central role in these developmental objectives.

The law represents a specific mechanism of governmental financial control—the "crédito especial" or special budgetary credit—which allows legislative bodies to authorize exceptional expenditures outside the normal budgetary framework. This type of statutory authorization was particularly relevant during Brazil's period of rapid economic expansion and modernization, known as the "Desenvolvimentismo" (developmentalist) era, when substantial investments were made in transportation infrastructure, roads, bridges, and public works.

As a statute, Law No. 2994/1956 demonstrates the formal legal process through which the Brazilian government exercises its authority to direct public resources toward specific national objectives. The law's focus on the Ministry of Transport reflects the strategic importance assigned to transportation infrastructure in Brazil's post-war development strategy, recognizing that adequate transportation networks were essential for economic growth, regional integration, and national security.

Furthermore, this law contributes to the broader legal framework governing public finance in Brazil, illustrating how statutory authorization functions as a check on executive power while enabling necessary governmental flexibility in resource allocation. The preservation of this law in official government databases and its inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws demonstrates its continued relevance as part of Brazil's legislative heritage.

## Notable For

- **Historical Significance:** Represents Brazilian legislative activity during the Kubitschek administration (1956-1961), a period marked by ambitious infrastructure development programs including the construction of Brasília.
- **Financial Mechanism:** Demonstrates the use of "crédito especial" (special budgetary credit) as a tool for funding exceptional government expenditures outside standard budgetary procedures.
- **Infrastructure Focus:** Directly addresses funding for the Ministry of Transport, reflecting the post-war emphasis on transportation infrastructure as a driver of economic development.
- **Legal Classification:** Serves as a concrete example of the broader legal concept of "statute" as defined in legal taxonomy—a formal written document that creates law.
- **Official Preservation:** Maintained in the official collection of Brazilian federal laws (Coleção das Leis do Brasil) and accessible through official government portals.
- **Bibliographic Identification:** Cataloged within the Brazilian legal documentation system with unique identifiers including the LEXML URN and official legal citation format.

## Body

### Legislative Context and Authority

Law No. 2994 of December 10, 1956 was enacted by the federal government of Brazil during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. Kubitschek's administration (1956-1961) was characterized by ambitious developmental goals, including the construction of Brasília, which was inaugurated in 1960. The law represents one of many legislative instruments enacted during this period to facilitate the substantial public investments required for Brazil's modernization agenda.

The law was promulgated through the formal process established by Brazilian constitutional law, receiving the explicit authorization of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The determination method recorded for this legislative act is "promulgation," indicating the formal act by which the President gives legal force to a law passed by the National Congress. The date of December 10, 1956 marks both the promulgation and publication date of the statute.

### Subject Matter and Purpose

The primary subjects of Law No. 2994/1956 are threefold:

1. **Special Budgetary Adjustment (Crédito Especial):** The law authorizes a special budgetary credit, which represents an extraordinary authorization for government expenditure that falls outside the regular budgetary allocations. This financial mechanism allows the executive branch to access additional funds for specific purposes without requiring the lengthy process of standard budgetary revision.

2. **Public Works (Obra Pública):** The law specifically addresses funding for public works infrastructure projects. During the Kubitschek administration, public works encompassed roads, bridges, railways, ports, and other essential infrastructure elements critical to Brazil's economic development.

3. **Ministry of Transport (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas):** The law channels these financial resources through the Ministry of Transport, which was responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing transportation infrastructure projects at the federal level. This ministry played a central role in Brazil's mid-century infrastructure development.

### Publication and Official Status

The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the capital of Brazil at that time. Rio de Janeiro remained the capital until April 22, 1960, when Brasília became the new seat of federal government. The publication in Rio de Janeiro represents the official promulgation of the statute within the governmental system.

The official text of Law No. 2994/1956 is preserved in the Brazilian government's official legislation portal and can be accessed at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2994.htm. This portal maintains the complete text of federal laws from this period, ensuring public access to Brazil's legislative heritage.

### Legal Classification and Documentation

Law No. 2994/1956 is classified as a "statute" within the broader taxonomy of legal instruments. A statute, as defined in legal terminology, is a formal written document that creates law, including acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This classification places the law within the category of primary legislation—laws enacted by the legislative authority (in this case, through presidential promulgation) that establish binding legal rules.

The law is documented in multiple legal information systems:

- **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-12-10;2994 — A unique identifier within Brazil's legal XML standardization system
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2994/1956 — The standard abbreviated form used in legal references
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law — A brief descriptive classification
- **Wikimedia Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws — Indicates the law's inclusion in collaborative documentation efforts

### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts

This law exemplifies several important legal concepts within the Brazilian legal system:

As a statute, Law No. 2994/1956 represents the manifestation of statutory law in Brazil. It is part of the written legal tradition that distinguishes civil law systems from common law traditions. The law functions as an official record of a legal rule enacted by governmental authority, specifically creating financial authorization for infrastructure development.

The law also illustrates the concept of delegated legislation and budgetary authorization in Brazilian constitutional law. By enacting this statute, the federal government created specific legal authority to redirect financial resources toward priority infrastructure projects, demonstrating how statutory law facilitates executive action within a framework of legislative oversight.

### Historical Context

Law No. 2994/1956 was enacted during a significant period in Brazilian history. The 1950s represented a transformative decade for Brazil, marked by urbanization, industrialization, and ambitious infrastructure projects. President Kubitschek's developmentalist policies emphasized the "Five-Year Development Plans" (Planos Qüinqüenais) and the "Goals and Bases" (Metas e Bases) program, which prioritized energy, transportation, and food production.

The Ministry of Transport (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas) was central to these development plans, as adequate transportation infrastructure was recognized as essential for connecting Brazil's vast territory, facilitating trade, and enabling economic growth. The special budgetary credit authorized by Law No. 2994/1956 provided the financial flexibility necessary to advance these infrastructure objectives.

### Accessibility and Preservation

The law remains accessible to the public through official government channels, reflecting the principle that statutory law should be available for citizen reference and legal research. The Brazilian government's commitment to preserving and providing access to historical legislation ensures that Laws such as No. 2994/1956 remain available for historical research, legal education, and reference purposes.

The inclusion of this law in WikiProject Brazilian Laws demonstrates ongoing efforts to document and categorize Brazilian legislative instruments within collaborative knowledge platforms, contributing to broader legal transparency and public access to legal information.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-12-10;2994)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=2994&ano=1956&data=10/12/1956&ato=2dbo3YU90dNRVT837)