VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Wants Colombian Free Trade Agreement

By Scott Stearns
White House
19 April 2008

President Bush says opposition¹ Democrats² in Congress are making a serious error by refusing to vote on a free trade agreement with Colombia. VOA White House correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

President Bush wants Congress to ratify³ a free trade agreement with Colombia because, he says, the status quo is unfair to American businesses that still pay stiff tariffs⁴ in Colombia while almost all of Colombia's exports to the United States enter duty-free.

"The situation is completely one-sided," he said.  "Our markets are open to Colombian products, but barriers that make it harder to sell American goods in Colombia remain. If the free trade agreement were implemented⁵, however, most of Colombia's tariffs on American goods would be eliminated immediately."

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said there is also a strategic reason. He says lawmakers' refusal to ratify the trade deal would send a signal to allies in the hemisphere that America cannot be trusted.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indefinitely delayed a vote on the deal.  Many opposition Democrats in Congress oppose the free trade agreemen, because of Colombia's human rights record and the government's past efforts to suppress trade unionists.

President Bush said Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has addressed those concerns and Congress is making a serious error in delaying the deal.

In the Democratic Party's radio address, Party Chairman Howard Dean criticized Republican Senator John McCain, the Republicans' presumptive nominee⁶ for president.

"This November, voters do have a choice," he said.  "If you want more of this Bush economy, if you want to see our troops in Iraq for a long period of time, we can stay the course with Senator McCain. But the Democrats have a different vision for America's future."

New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama are battling for the Democratic Party's nomination⁷, with an important primary on Tuesday in the state of Pennsylvania.

Dean says both candidates have a plan for getting out of Iraq so the nation can invest more in the economy and in creating jobs. McCain says his Democratic rivals would endanger U.S. national security by pulling out of Iraq regardless of conditions on the ground.

1 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。

2 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》

3 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

4 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

7 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。