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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
A new U.S. Congress was sworn into office Thursday, but it will quickly face an old dispute about the country's burgeoning1 debt and in the coming weeks controversial new gun control and immigration proposals.
The Congress leaving office squabbled this week in its final days over contentious2 tax and spending legislation before finally agreeing to increase taxes on the wealthiest American families. The new Congress, the country's 113th, faces a renewed debate over increasing the country's $16.4 trillion borrowing cap, a debt ceiling the government reached earlier this week.
As part of the opening day of ceremonies, the majority Republicans in the House of Representatives again chose Ohio congressman3 John Boehner as Speaker, the top position in the chamber4. By U.S. law, he also is second in the line of succession for the presidency5, behind Vice6 President Joe Biden, a Democrat7.
In a time-honored ceremony, Biden swore in new and re-elected senators, asking them whether they swore allegiance to the U.S. Constitution:
"Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion8, and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you God?"
The U.S. government said it can keep paying its bills for another two months, but by then will need to have the borrowing limit increased - or face an unprecedented9 circumstance, running out of money and defaulting on some of its financial obligations. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said he will not negotiate with Congress over raising the debt ceiling, but Republican lawmakers said they plan to use the borrowing debate to try to win sharp concessions10 from Obama to cut government spending.
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1 burgeoning | |
adj.迅速成长的,迅速发展的v.发芽,抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 );迅速发展;发(芽),抽(枝) | |
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2 contentious | |
adj.好辩的,善争吵的 | |
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3 Congressman | |
n.(美)国会议员 | |
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4 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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5 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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6 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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7 democrat | |
n.民主主义者,民主人士;民主党党员 | |
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8 evasion | |
n.逃避,偷漏(税) | |
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9 unprecedented | |
adj.无前例的,新奇的 | |
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10 concessions | |
n.(尤指由政府或雇主给予的)特许权( concession的名词复数 );承认;减价;(在某地的)特许经营权 | |
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