美国国家公共电台 NPR House Approves Resolution Curbing President Trump's War Power

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

What power might Congress claim, or reclaim¹, to limit the president's ability to take further military action against Iran? A war powers resolution sponsored by Democrats² was approved yesterday in the House of Representatives. The vote was almost entirely³ along party lines - almost, although three Republicans did back the proposal, including a very vocal⁴ supporter of President Trump⁵, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MATT GAETZ: I represent more troops than any other member of this body. I buried one of them earlier today at Arlington. And that sergeant⁶ died a patriot⁷ and a hero. If the members of our armed services have the courage to go and fight and die in these wars, as Congress, we ought to have the courage to vote for them or against them.

INSKEEP: This resolution, having passed the House, goes to the Senate, where its future is uncertain. NPR congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales is covering this. Good morning.

CLAUDIA GRISALES, BYLINE⁸: Good morning, Steve.

INSKEEP: What does the resolution actually say?

GRISALES: It prompts the president to seek congressional approval for military engagement against Iran. It does allow for the president to take certain military actions in cases of self-defense. But it does prompt the president to seek that congressional approval first in most cases.

INSKEEP: So according to the measure's sponsors, this does not bind⁹ the president from acting¹⁰ in self-defense, acting in an urgent way. But if it's possible, in any occasion possible, he's supposed to check with Congress first...

GRISALES: Exactly.

INSKEEP: ...Which Congress claims the right to demand of him because - what? - Congress is supposed to have the power to declare war, right?

GRISALES: That is their argument. They say that power is based in the Constitution, and the president needs to come to Congress before taking such actions.

INSKEEP: OK. What is the president saying about that?

GRISALES: The White House says he doesn't have to. He says he has that power already, according to authorization¹¹ that was given to the office after the 9/11 attacks. Also the White House said last night that the White House resolution tries to undermine the ability of the U.S. armed forces to prevent terrorism activity by Iran and its proxies¹². And so they don't see this as a move that's going to impact them. But Democrats argue this resolution they passed will have a force of law. And since it falls under the War Powers Act of the 1970s, they say it doesn't require the president's signature. And it has been approved in this one chamber¹³. But for now, it doesn't have much impact other than sending the strong message to the president to seek this congressional approval.

INSKEEP: You have the White House saying this is just a resolution that wouldn't have the force of law. You have Democrats saying it would have the force of law. This surely is a knowable thing, right? Like, there's a law. So the War Powers Act says - what? - that Congress does in fact have the authority to constrain¹⁴ the president in this way.

GRISALES: Exactly. They say they have the authority. Congress says they have the authority to declare war. And it's not just up to the president to declare these actions on a whim¹⁵.

INSKEEP: There are some Republicans, as we noted¹⁶, who have said that they are concerned about presidential power and that they support this war powers resolution. So what happens now that it moves to the United States Senate?

GRISALES: Well, the Senate is actually considering their own war powers resolution. This is being sponsored by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. And in this Republican-controlled chamber, he will need at least four Republicans to sign on to get a chance for passage of this effort. He says he wants to bring it up as early as Tuesday. He has two Republicans who've already signed on. He says he could have as many as four to seven right now according to talks he's having.

INSKEEP: Claudia, thanks for the update.

GRISALES: Thanks for having me.

INSKEEP: That's NPR's Claudia Grisales.

1 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

7 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

12 proxies   

n.代表权( proxy的名词复数 )；（测算用的）代替物；（对代理人的）委托书；（英国国教教区献给主教等的）巡游费

参考例句：

• SOCKS and proxies are unavailable. Try connecting to XX again? socks和代理不可用。尝试重新连接到XX吗？ 来自互联网
• All proxies are still down. Continue with direct connections? 所有的代理仍然有故障。继续直接连接吗？ 来自互联网

13 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

14 constrain   

vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制

参考例句：

• She tried to constrain herself from a cough in class.上课时她竭力忍住不咳嗽。
• The study will examine the factors which constrain local economic growth.这项研究将考查抑制当地经济发展的因素。

15 whim   

n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想

参考例句：

• I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
• He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。