2006年VOA标准英语-US House of Representatives Approves Resolution

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
16 June 2006

By a vote of 256-153, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a resolution declaring that the United States will prevail in Iraq and the global war on terrorism.  Approval of the measure, which also praises U.S. troops and rejects any premature¹ timetable for their withdrawal², came after nearly 14 hours of debate.

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Marines from the 3rd Battalion⁴, 3rd Marine³ Regiment⁵ conducting a foot patrol through the streets of Haditha (File photo)   
  

Majority Republicans described the debate as a vital expression of congressional support for U.S. troops, and a message to terrorists from the American people.

Democrats⁶ derided⁷ it as a political charade⁸, aimed at diverting attention from Bush administration mis-steps in Iraq, and continuing violence there.

Wherever lawmakers stood, the debate occurred against the background of news that the U.S. death toll⁹ in Iraq has surpassed the 2,500 mark.

Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert accused Democrats of, "supporting the troops but not the mission."

"The clarity with which our men and women in uniform understand the reason they are in Iraq is a stark¹⁰ contrast to some here at home, who talk about this war as a war of choice," said Congressman¹¹ Hastert.

Democrats used floor speeches to renew long-standing¹² allegations about what they call Bush administration incompetence¹³, accusing Republicans of staging the debate for political purposes.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi accuses the Bush administration and Republicans of misleading Americans at various stages, and asserts Democrats are united on Iraq.

Nancy Pelosi   
  
"The reason for going in, the reception we would receive, or the rapidity with which the Iraqis would be able to fund their own operation, everything they have said has been wrong," she said.  "Democrats are united in saying, 'we need a new direction in Iraq.'"

Throughout, Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, who called last year for U.S. forces to begin pulling out of Iraq, led the Democrats in opposition¹⁴:

John Murtha  
  
"Rhetoric¹⁵ does not answer the problem," he said.  "Only the Iraqis can solve the problem in Iraq.  They're fighting with each other, and our troops are caught in between, and I say it's time to redeploy."

Republicans responded by citing threats to U.S. security since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, as well as successes such as the killing¹⁶ of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq, and successful elections in Iraq and Afghanistan.

John Boehner   
  
"The events of 9/11 demonstrated that we had to show our own resolve as the world's premier¹⁷ defender¹⁸ of freedom and liberty, before such ideals were prayed upon rather than after, standing witness to their demise¹⁹ at the hands of our enemies," said House Republican Leader John Boehner.

In the end, an overwhelming majority of Democrats voted against the resolution, while 42 broke from their ranks to support it.  Among Republicans, only three voted against the measure.

The debate occurred as opinion polls show significant pessimism²⁰ among Americans about the military situation in Iraq, and continuing low approval ratings for President Bush on the issue.

1 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

2 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

5 regiment   

n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制

参考例句：

• As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
• They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

6 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》

7 derided   

v.取笑，嘲笑( deride的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His views were derided as old-fashioned. 他的观点被当作旧思想受到嘲弄。
• Gazing up to the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity. 我抬头疑视着黑暗，感到自己是一个被虚荣心驱使和拨弄的可怜虫。 来自辞典例句

8 charade   

n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏

参考例句：

• You must not refine too much upon this charade.你切不可过分推敲这个字谜。
• His poems,despite their dignity and felicity,have an air of charade.他的诗篇虽然庄严巧妙，却有猜迷之嫌。

9 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

10 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

11 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。

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

14 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

15 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

16 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

17 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

18 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

19 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

20 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。