2006年VOA标准英语-President Bush Presses for Immigration Ref

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
25 March 2006
 
 
Adrian Juarez, left, and Irturo Contrirs participate in a march by immigrant rights supporters 
  
President Bush is urging Congress to move ahead with immigration reform, an issue that is becoming increasingly emotional. A package of controversial immigration reforms has already been approved by the House of Representatives, and the Senate is set to open the debate on Monday.

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A large portion of the estimated 11 million illegal workers in the U.S. are Hispanic, and that community has organized several big protests across the country in recent weeks to express anger over proposed legislative¹ changes to current immigration policies, including a measure that would make it a serious crime to offer any assistance to an illegal immigrant.

President Bush supports comprehensive immigration reform.

"America is a nation of immigrants, and we are also a nation of laws. And our immigration laws are in need of reform," said Mr. Bush.

In his weekly radio address Saturday, the president said his vision of immigration reform begins with increasing the numbers of border patrol guards and using new technology to secure the nation's frontier. He also supports a temporary worker program that would create a legal way to match foreign workers with American employers to fill jobs Americans do not want.

A plan favored by the president would allow guest workers to remain in the country for up to six years.

One thing the president does not support is an amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the United States.

"I believe that granting an amnesty would be unfair, because it would allow those who break the law to jump ahead of people who play by the rules and wait in the citizenship² line," added Mr. Bush.

Advocates for illegal immigrants say they deserve a path to citizenship, because they are hard workers, who contribute to the economic health of the United States.

President Bush acknowledged that the immigration debate is an emotional one, but said America does not have to choose between being a welcoming society and a lawful³ one.

1 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

2 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

3 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。