Amman, Nov. 2 (Petra) -- The Senate elected members of its permanent bureau and chose a committee to draft its reply to the Speech from the Throne on Monday, during its first sitting of the 20th Parliament’s third ordinary session.

Senate President Faisal Fayez chaired the sitting, which followed the inauguration of the parliamentary session by His Majesty King Abdullah II.

The Senate elected Abdullah Nsour as first deputy president, Hani Mulki as second deputy president, and Zuhair Abu Faris and Suhair Al Ali as assistants to the president. Together with Fayez, they form the permanent bureau.

Under Article 5 of its bylaws, the Senate also selected Abdullah Nsour, Tawfiq Kreishan, Zuhair Abu Faris, Reem Abu Dalbouh and Omar Ayasrah to serve on the committee preparing its reply to the Speech from the Throne.

Secretary-General Abdul Rahim Wakeed read the Royal Decrees ending the extraordinary session, postponing the ordinary session and summoning the Senate to convene Monday.

He also read decrees accepting Mohammad Ississ’s resignation from the Senate, effective Sept. 6; appointing Fayez as Senate president, effective Oct. 25; and appointing Yasseen Khayyat as a senator, effective Oct. 8.

Khayyat took the constitutional oath before the Senate under Article 80 of the Constitution and Article 4 of the Senate’s bylaws.

Senators and Cabinet members observed a minute of silence for the victims of the terrorist attack on St. George’s Church in Hamoud, Karak Governorate.

//Petra// NQ