VOA慢速英语20060408a

IN THE NEWS - Delay, Leaving Congress, Has 'No Fear' of Any Wrongdoing InvestigationBy Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Saturday, April 08, 2006

I'm Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, Tom DeLay announced he will resign from Congress. The former House majority leader plans to leave by the middle of June.


Video image provided by Rep. Tom DeLay's office shows DeLay announcing his intention to resign from Congress

Mister DeLay entered the House of Representatives in nineteen eighty-five. He is in his eleventh term representing an area of Texas. He was seeking re-election this November. But he was in a close race and it appeared he could lose his seat to a Democrat². That could hurt Republican chances to keep a majority in the House.

Mister DeLay resigned in September as majority leader, the second most powerful job in the House after speaker. He did so after he was charged in Texas with violating state laws on campaign finance. He denies the charges.

Now, former aides to Mister DeLay are cooperating in a federal investigation¹ tied to lobbyist Jack³ Abramoff, who is also cooperating. Lobbyists represent special interests to public officials. Until recently Jack Abramoff was a powerful lobbyist in Washington.

He has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with efforts to influence members of Congress and their aides. Two former aides to Mister DeLay have also pleaded guilty. Now the Justice Department wants to know if Tom DeLay and others in Congress accepted gifts like travel in exchange for votes.

Lawmakers are now debating how to reform the rules for lobbying in Congress.

Mister DeLay says he has done nothing wrong. He says he is the target of a personal campaign by liberal Democrats⁴. He says: I have no fear whatsoever⁵ about any investigation into me or my personal or professional activities.

On March twenty-ninth a judge in Miami, Florida, sentenced Jack Abramoff to almost six years in prison in an unrelated case. It involved the illegal financing of casino ships.

Those who know Tom DeLay say his friends are being pressured into making statements against him. For years he has been one of the most powerful members of Congress. He helped the Republican Party gain its majority in the House in nineteen ninety-four. Republicans now control the Senate as well. President Bush is also a Republican.

Democrats would need to gain fifteen seats to take control of the House. They would need to gain six for a majority in the Senate. There are one hundred seats in the Senate and four hundred thirty-five in the House.

Democratic leaders point to studies showing that sixty-eight percent of Americans are not satisfied with the direction of the country. Democrats think this will mean good news for their party this November.

But Republicans say the Democrats will fail. They say the party does not have good ideas for the future.

As for his own future, Tom DeLay says he plans to live in Virginia and work privately⁶ to support conservative positions.

IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English was written by Nancy Steinbach. Read and listen to our reports at www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 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》

5 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

6 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。