2006年VOA标准英语-US House Moves to Impose New Sanctions Aga

By Dan Robinson
Washington
26 April 2006

Amid the latest tensions between Iran and the international community over Iranian nuclear ambitions, the House of Representatives has approved legislation that would sanction companies or individuals engaged in Iran's energy sector¹.

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The legislation strengthens existing bilateral² U.S. sanctions against Iran under a 1996 law that also targeted Libya, which ended its weapons of mass destruction efforts in 2003.

Called the Iran Freedom Support Act, the bill contains provisions to punish foreign companies or individuals investing more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector.

It raises the prospect³ of cutting off U.S. aid to countries helping⁴ Iran acquire or develop chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, or what it calls destabilizing numbers of advanced convention weapons.

It is also aimed at encouraging American investors⁵ and pension plans to divest⁶ from companies that invest in Iran's energy sector.

Provisions of the bill support groups opposing Iran's government and its support for international terrorism.

By the time it reached the House floor Wednesday, the Iran Freedom Support Act had strong bipartisan support of 367 lawmakers in the 435-member House.

Rep. Tom Lantos
(file photo)   
  
"If we fail to use both our economic and our diplomatic tools, the world will face a nightmare that knows no end. A despotic, fundamentalist regime that avidly⁷ supports terrorism, exploiting and threatening to use the ultimate weapon of terror," said Congressman⁸ Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat⁹ on the House International Relations Committee.

Opponents of the legislation asserted that, threats from Iran notwithstanding, it will hurt diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff with Tehran.

"This legislation does not provide solution[s]. Instead it limits the administration's flexibility¹⁰ to pursue diplomacy¹¹ without providing any new tools not already at their disposal. We need allies and partners to address the Iranian threat," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat.

Republican Mike Pence says the legislation sends an unequivocal message to Iran's leadership.

"It is strong, it is smart, and it is a diplomatic measure expressed by the Congress, the will of the American people into a circumstance that is real, that is meaningful, and for which the clarity of the position of the U.S. is essential at this moment," he said.

House debate took place against the backdrop of the latest statements by Iranian officials, including one by Iranian Supreme¹² Leader Ayatollah Khamenei threatening to harm U.S. interests around the world in response to any attack.

The legislation contains language stating that it does not authorize¹³ military action against Iran, which was included to make clear the House is not going on record sanctioning regime change.

Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich, an opponent of the legislation, is among those arguing it is a step in the direction of military action.

"While this bill makes a point of so-called not authorizing¹⁴ the use of force against Iran, be assured this is a stepping stone to the use of force, the same way that the Iraq Liberation Act was used as a stepping stone," he said.

The Bush administration had pressed lawmakers to soften¹⁵ provisions of the legislation so as to not undermine U.S. efforts to engage key allies in joint¹⁶ diplomatic efforts.

Supporters maintained Wednesday that the White House has not yet taken a position on the bill as amended¹⁷.

A similar bill introduced in the Senate in February of 2005 has been stuck in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and it is not known when or whether it will move forward there.

House and Senate versions of the Iran Freedom Support Act contain provisions calling for support of independent pro-democracy radio and television broadcasts to Iran.

1 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。

2 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

3 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

6 divest   

v.脱去，剥除

参考例句：

• I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
• He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

7 avidly   

adv.渴望地，热心地

参考例句：

• She read avidly from an early age—books, magazines, anything. 她从小就酷爱阅读——书籍、杂志，无不涉猎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her melancholy eyes avidly scanned his smiling face. 她说话时两只忧郁的眼睛呆呆地望着他的带笑的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 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。

10 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

11 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

12 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

13 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

14 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

15 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

16 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。

17 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。