2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Appeals to Skeptical Republicans to Back I

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
12 June 2007

President Bush Tuesday made a rare visit to Capitol Hill to press senators of his own Republican party to support legislation overhauling¹ the nation's immigration system. Opposition² Republicans, concerned about border security and guest worker provisions in the bill, blocked the measure from coming to a vote in the Senate last week. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

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President Bush makes remarks to the press on Capitol Hill in Washington after a luncheon with Republican lawmakers, 12 Jun 2007

After his meeting with Senate Republicans, President Bush acknowledged the divisions among lawmakers in his party over the issue of immigration reform.

"Some members in there believe we need to move a comprehensive bill, some don't. I understand that. It is a highly emotional issue," he said.

But Mr. Bush vowed⁴ that the White House would stay engaged with Congress on an issue that is a top priority for him.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of effort," he said. "We've got to convince the American people that this bill is the best way to enforce our border. I believe without the bill that it's going to be harder to enforce the border. The status quo was unacceptable."

Besides securing the border, the bill would also create a temporary guest worker program and offer a path to citizenship⁵ for many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in the United States.

Some Republicans are skeptical⁶ that the measure would greatly improve border security, and many others argue the plan would amount to amnesty by offering citizenship to those who entered the country illegally.

President Bush said he hoped Senate Majority Leader Harry⁷ Reid, a Nevada Democrat⁸, has the same desire to move the bill forward as he does.

Harry Reid

But Reid told reporters most Democrats⁹ support the bill, and that it is up to the president to deliver Republican votes.

"We have done our job. It is not a question of Democrats doing anything," he said. "It is a question of Republicans supporting their own president."

The top Republican in the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, was asked if President Bush managed to secure any more Republican support for the bill.

"I think a lot of that will depend on what it [the bill] looks like in the end," he said. "None of us knows that yet. So, it was a good give and take. We did not expect anybody to stand up and holler that they had an epiphany. We had a very good discussion about the issue."

Senator Reid could bring the bill to the Senate floor again as early as the end of next week, after senators complete energy legislation.

1 overhauling   

n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• I had no chance of overhauling him. 我没有赶上他的可能。 来自辞典例句
• Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. 有些网站需要做出细微修改，而有些网站就需要整体改版。 来自互联网

2 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。

3 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

4 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。

5 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

8 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。

9 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》