VOA常速英语2007年-US House Passes Revisions to Wiretap Law

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
16 November 2007

The Democratically controlled U.S. House of Representatives late Thursday passed legislation on a 227 - 189 vote to restrict the government's power to eavesdrop² on foreign terrorism suspects. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The legislation would roll back some of the expanded powers that Congress granted the Bush administration back in August when it approved the Protect America Act, a measure that amends³ the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to address new technologies, including e-mail and cell phones.

The Protect America Act had given the attorney general and the director of national intelligence greater powers to authorize⁴ surveillance, sparking concerns among critics that the law could undermine Americans' civil liberties.

Under the revisions approved by the House, a special intelligence court would have a greater role in reviewing government requests for surveillance. The measure would require that intelligence agencies get a court order to monitor communications between suspected terrorists overseas and people in the United States.

"The bill rejects groundless claims of inherent executive authority," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "There are those who claim that the president has inherent authority under the Constitution to do whatever he wishes. Long ago, our Founders⁵ rejected that concept in founding our country. We must do that as well."

But Republican critics argue that requiring the government to seek court approval of some surveillance requests will hinder its ability to hunt down terrorists.

In a written statement, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said the legislation would dangerously weaken the US ability to protect the nation from foreign threats.

Congressman⁶ Peter Hoekstra of Michigan is the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee.

"It now seems that the majority is determined⁷ to move a bill intended to make political statements rather than to give intelligence professionals the tools that they need to protect our country," he said.

The legislation, known as the RESTORE Act (Responsible Surveillance-Overseen, Reviewed and Effective), does not include a provision requested by the administration that would grant retroactive immunity⁸ to U.S. telecommunications companies that cooperated with the administration's warrantless wiretapping program following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Congressman John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat¹, is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

"Importantly, the RESTORE Act has no retroactive immunity for telecommunications carriers who may have assisted the government in conducting unlawful surveillance on Americans," he said.

Dozens of civil lawsuits⁹ have been filed against telecommunications companies since September 11, 2001.

Republicans believe an immunity provision is crucial to the bill. Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas is the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.

"These companies deserve our thanks, not a flurry of harassing¹⁰ lawsuits," said Smith.

President Bush agrees, and has vowed¹¹ to veto any bill that does not contain immunity language.

Legislation similar to the House version is pending¹² before the Senate, although senators are divided on the issue of immunity for telecommunications companies and will have to resolve the matter during Senate floor debate in the coming weeks.

1 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。

2 eavesdrop   

v.偷听，倾听

参考例句：

• He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.他藏在壁橱里，以便偷听。
• It is not polite to eavesdrop on the conversation of other people.偷听他人说话是很不礼貌的。

3 amends   

n. 赔偿

参考例句：

• He made amends for his rudeness by giving her some flowers. 他送给她一些花，为他自己的鲁莽赔罪。
• This country refuses stubbornly to make amends for its past war crimes. 该国顽固地拒绝为其过去的战争罪行赔罪。

4 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。

5 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

6 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。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

9 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

10 harassing   

v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人）

参考例句：

• The court ordered him to stop harassing his ex-wife. 法庭命令他不得再骚扰前妻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was too close to be merely harassing fire. 打得这么近，不能完全是扰乱射击。 来自辞典例句

11 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

12 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。