VOA慢速英语2011--US Congressional Committee Fails to Identify Budget Cuts

Economics Report - US Congressional Committee Fails to Identify Budget Cuts

 

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

An American congressional committee reported failure earlier this week. The committee failed in its effort to cut the federal budget deficit¹ by one point two trillion dollars over ten years.

The Co-Chairs of the Joint² Select Committee on Deficit Reduction released a statement. It said, “we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee’s deadline.”

The twelve-member committee was created under the Budget Control Act of Twenty Eleven. The group was equally divided between the two main parties. The goal was to find acceptable ways to cut federal deficits³. But, without an agreement, that will fall to involuntary cuts through the act of sequestration.

The budgetary terms, sequester⁴ and sequestration, mean that the Treasury⁵ Department will withhold⁶ or cancel a set amount of spending.

Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction hold a public hearing last month. This week, the committee said it could reach no agreement.

By law, equal cuts in both civilian⁷ and military spending will begin in twenty thirteen. A total of one point two trillion dollars needs to be cut. This is in addition to cuts of about nine hundred billion dollars required by the budget law that created the congressional supercommittee.

Defense⁸ Secretary Leon Panetta has warned the combination of cuts could hurt his department.

LEON PANETTA: “If the sequester goes into effect and it doubles the number of cuts, then it will truly devastate⁹ our national defense.” 7 sec.

This has made some lawmakers feel uneasy. Representative Howard McKeon of California opposes new cuts in military spending.

HOWARD MCKEON: “National defense has contributed enough to deficit reduction.”

Many lawmakers are concerned that, with elections next year, programs important to voters in their areas will be cut. That would add to increasing voter anger over what they consider a lack of action by lawmakers.

Many voters share the feelings of this man in Houston, Texas, when asked about Congress.

HOUSTON MAN: “They all need to be replaced -- every last one of them.”

REPORTER: “How would you do that?"

HOUSTON MAN: “Don't vote for them next time; vote for somebody else.”

But President Obama has warned Congress that he will block any efforts to cancel the spending cuts.

BARACK OBAMA: “Already, some in Congress are trying to undo¹⁰ these automatic spending cuts. My message is simple: No. I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts.” 17 sec.

Experts say that Congress and the Obama administration could still reach agreement on budget cuts and taxes before the sequestration takes effect.

And that's the Economics Report in VOA Special English. Find transcripts¹¹ and MP3s of our programs at voanews.cn. I'm June Simms.
_________

Greg Flakus and Marissa Melton contributed to this report.

1 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

4 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

5 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。

6 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

10 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

11 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句