VOA慢速英语2009-Economics Report - Tax Troubles Force Two Nomine

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

President Obama has accepted responsibility for problems involving his nominees² for two important positions. On Tuesday, the President's choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services withdrew his nomination³. Tom Daschle made the decision after it became widely reported that he had failed to pay over one hundred forty thousand dollars in taxes.
　
Tom Daschle

Health care spending represents nearly seventeen percent of the economy. President Obama made health care reform a main issue in his campaign. But so was change from old ways of doing things in Washington. Mister Daschle was former Senate majority leader and a close advisor⁴ to the President. Experts say it will be hard to find a nominee¹ with as much experience in both health issues and politics.

President Obama had chosen Nancy Killefer as the government's chief performance officer to supervise the White House budget office. But she also withdrew Tuesday. She had failed to pay unemployment taxes for an employee.

Mister Obama accepted blame for the problems.

BARACK OBAMA: "The most important thing from my perspective is making sure the American people understand we don't have two sets of rules here. That everybody has responsibilities. In this situation I take responsibility for it."

The two withdrawals⁵ followed problems with the nomination of Treasury⁶ Secretary Tim Geithner who also had failed to pay thousands of dollars in taxes. However, he was confirmed by the Senate last week.

On Wednesday, President Obama announced that Secretary Geithner will release a new plan to ease credit markets next week. The President also announced measures to increase trust in the financial system.

Mister Obama placed limits on pay for top executives at banks that receive new aid money from the government. The rule will limit pay to no more than five hundred thousand dollars a year. It also bars additional forms of pay except for stock that can only be received after government loans have been repaid.

Also this week, the Senate began debate on President Obama's economic aid plan. The House passed its eight hundred twenty billion dollar version of the bill last week.

And in other economic news, a report by the Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing index shrank by less than expected. The service sector⁷ is made up of businesses like banks, hotels and restaurants. It represents about eighty percent of economic activity.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

5 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

6 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。