VOA常速英语2007年-Bush Encouraged by Budget Talks

By Scott Stearns
White House
14 December 2007

President Bush has signed legislation to keep the US government open for another week as lawmakers continue work on a final budget deal. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

President Bush says he is encouraged by signs that lawmakers are making progress on resolving differences over funding federal programs and the war in Iraq.

"In recent days, lawmakers have made some important progress in working out such differences," said President Bush. "I am pleased to hear that they are close to reaching an agreement on a budget."

"There are a lot of details left to be worked out, and I hope they will pass a bill that is fiscally¹ responsible and does not raise taxes. I also understand that Congress may provide a down payment on the war funding I requested without artificial timetables for withdrawal," he said.

If lawmakers are unable to reach an overall budget deal, President Bush says they should not carry the unfinished business of 2007 into next year. Instead, he says they should pass a one-year continuing resolution funding government operations at current levels without wasteful² spending or higher taxes.

After his last Cabinet meeting of the year, Mr. Bush told reporters in the Rose Garden that he congratulates the Senate for passing an energy bill that he will sign into law.

The president also wants an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act which allows for eavesdropping³ on suspected terrorists and on Americans speaking on overseas calls.

"Congress must pass legislation to ensure our intelligence professionals can continue to effectively monitor terrorist communications," said President Bush.

The House has approved legislation that would prohibit U.S. intelligence officials from using a number of controversial interrogation techniques, including simulated drowning.

The president is threatening to veto that measure, which would require all government employees or private contractors⁴ to adhere to interrogation limits in the U.S. Army Field Manual.

1 fiscally   

在国库方面，财政上，在国库岁入方面

参考例句：

• Nor will fiscally stretched governments pump more money into the political equivalent of a leper colony. 财政吃紧的政府也不愿将更多的钱投入这个避之唯恐不及的政治瘟疫区。
• We are more fiscally constrained, which forces us to work smarter and more efficiently. 与F-15相比我们资金上的限制更大了，美女类小游戏，这迫使我们更为精心和有效地工作。

2 wasteful   

adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的

参考例句：

• It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
• Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

3 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

4 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》