2007年VOA标准英语-US House of Representatives Legislation Sparks

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
21 June 2007

Legislation providing $34 billion for State Department and foreign aid programs has sparked sharp debate over a range of issues in the House of Representatives. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the Bush administration is opposing key portions of the 2008 foreign operations bill, which must also be approved by the Senate, as lawmakers argued over funding priorities.

At stake is annual funding for many global priorities, including U.S. contributions to the United Nations and peacekeeping operations, humanitarian¹ aid for refugees, support for HIV/AIDS and other health programs, and assistance to such countries as Pakistan, Egypt, Colombia, and Liberia among others.

In more than 50 amendments³, lawmakers sought to add or remove funds from the measure which contains 10 percent more than 2007 levels, but less than what President Bush wanted overall.

Some of the most emotional debate occurred over attempts to restore funds to support democracy activities in Cuba.

Lincoln Diaz Balart (file photo)

Republican Congressman⁴ Lincoln Diaz Balart noted⁵ that the legislation proposed to fund only 20 percent of the original request from the White House.

"Let us not turn our backs on the Cuban internal opposition," said Lincoln Diaz Balart. "They will play a key role in the inevitable⁶ Democratic transition that it is approaching, and we must do all we can so that they can survive the brutality⁸ of the totalitarian police state of violence and terror that fortunately, to a great extent because of the pro-democracy movement in Cuba will soon be but a tragic⁹ and perverse¹⁰ historical memory."

The House voted to approve Balart's amendment² to restore $37 million in funding for democracy and civil society programs for Cuba.

President Bush has signaled his intention to veto the foreign operations bill, citing a range of objections.

These include a sharp reduction for the president's Millennium¹¹ Challenge program for countries pursuing political and economic reforms, economic and other aid for Iraq, a $33-million cut in economic aid for Pakistan, and reductions for Colombia.

Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia

On Iraq, Republican Frank Wolf offered an amendment to restore more than $150 million in assistance.

"Building the capacity of the Iraqi government should be at the heart of U.S. reconstruction¹² efforts, and capacity building demands additional U.S. resources," said Frank Wolf. "That is what this is on, I urge member on both sides, this ought not be a political issue, a partisan¹³ issue."

Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat⁷ from New York, argued that Congress has already provided sufficient funds in other bills.

"The administration should substantially expend¹⁴ the funds we have provided [in other bills] before Congress provides additional funding for the same purposes," said Nita Lowey.

The administration also objects to a restriction¹⁵ on military aid to Egypt until it makes progress on human rights issues, saying this will undermine the U.S. relationship with Egypt.

Sharp exchanges also occurred during a complex debate over U.S. international family planning policies.

The Bush administration asserts that provisions in the legislation are inconsistent with what is called the Mexico City policy, first established by President Reagan, saying it would permit money to go to organizations actively¹⁶ promoting abortion¹⁷.

Congressman Chris Smith and other Republicans sought to eliminate what they called pro-abortion provisions in the legislation.

"If protecting babies and women from abortion matters to you, and I mean really matters to you, there is no way you can vote to overturn, or even weaken, the Mexico City Policy," said Chris Smith. "This is a time to stand for the innocent and inconvenient¹⁸ ones who can't speak for themselves."

Democrats¹⁹ supported an amendment allowing non-government organizations to receive U.S.- donated contraceptives, but not funding, saying this would not alter or weaken prohibitions²⁰ against use of funds for abortion overseas, and limiting use of family planning funds.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney:

"My colleagues on the other side of the aisle²¹ say they respect life," said Congresswoman Maloney. "But during the time we have been debating this bill, 65 women around the world will die from pregnancy²² because of many related complications, and they are dying because they do not have access to the most basic health care, such as contraceptives.

The foreign operations bill also provides$5 billion for the president's HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care program, and $550 million for efforts of the Global Fund on AIDS, tuberculosis²³ and malaria²⁴, along with billions to support other worldwide public health and education programs.

 

Congress continues its strong commitment to the people of Darfur, providing $950 million for Sudan, including $210 million for humanitarian and peacekeeping needs.

 

In supporting U.S. government-funded international broadcasting, lawmakers restore funds to avert²⁵ cuts in key languages, including English, at the Voice of America and other stations, while funding programming for North Korea.

However, the Bush administration says language directing continuation of such languages undermines plans to reach larger audiences in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives.

An amendment by Florida Republican Connie Mack for the Broadcasting Board of Governors to initiate²⁶ programming for Venezuela, in response to steps against media outlets²⁷ by President Hugo Chavez, was accepted by voice vote.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

3 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

4 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。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

7 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。

8 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

9 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

10 perverse   

adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的

参考例句：

• It would be perverse to stop this healthy trend.阻止这种健康发展的趋势是没有道理的。
• She gets a perverse satisfaction from making other people embarrassed.她有一种不正常的心态，以使别人难堪来取乐。

11 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

12 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

13 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

14 expend   

vt.花费，消费，消耗

参考例句：

• Don't expend all your time on such a useless job.不要把时间消耗在这种无用的工作上。
• They expend all their strength in trying to climb out.他们费尽全力想爬出来。

15 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

16 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

17 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

18 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

19 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》

20 prohibitions   

禁令，禁律( prohibition的名词复数 )； 禁酒； 禁例

参考例句：

• Nowadays NO PARKING is the most ubiquitous of prohibitions. 今天，“NO PARKING”（禁止停车），几乎成了到处可见的禁止用语了。
• Inappropriate, excessive or capricious administration of aversive stimulation has led to scandals, lawsuits and prohibitions. 不恰当的、过度的或随意滥用厌恶性刺激会引起人们的反感、控告与抵制。

21 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

22 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

23 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

24 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

25 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

26 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

27 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》