2006年VOA标准英语-Big Companies Receive Federal Government Contra

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
10 August 2006
 
watch Small Business Contracts

Some U.S. lawmakers want the government to investigate whether large businesses intentionally¹ misrepresented themselves in order to win federal contracts.  The request comes after Democratic Party Congressional investigators² found billions of dollars in government contracts that were meant to help small businesses were given to some of the biggest companies in the world.

------

Companies cited in a congressional probe by Democratic Party members include the likes of AT&T, Rolls Royce, and Microsoft -- hardly the kinds of businesses anyone would call small.  

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez  
  
New York Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez says they were among the companies receiving nearly $12 billion in small business contracts last year. "It illustrates³ the continual disconnect between what this administration says and what is actually happening for this nation's entrepreneurs."

The allegation stems from a report by the Small Business Administration (SBA). It says the government exceeded its own goals - awarding small businesses 25 percent of last year's $300 billion worth of federal contracts. 

A Democratic Party report says the figure is actually 21 percent -- because some of those contracts went to large companies. 

Guam delegate to Congress, Madeleine Bordallo   
  
Guam's delegate to Congress, Madeleine Bordallo, says the Pentagon was one of the worst offenders⁴. "America's small businesses are definitely being shortchanged. The Department of Defense⁵ controls 70 percent of the federal government's contracting dollars.  It controls the vast majority of the federal marketplace in my district, the Territory of Guam.  But according to this report, $8 billion of Department of Defense contracting money was provided to large businesses but listed as going to small business."

The Democratic report says more than 2,500 large firms were given small business contracts, including:  defense contractor⁶ Northrop Grumman, which received $90 million; British automaker Rolls Royce, $2.2 million; and software-maker Microsoft, $1.5 million.

SBA officials defended the government's accounting⁷ figures. It says some large businesses were given contracts because they acquired small businesses that had multiple year contracts. 

The Senate Committee on Small Business says it will ask the Government Accounting Office to investigate.

1 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

4 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

5 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。

6 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

7 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。