VOA标准英语2008年-Bush Presses Congress to Act on Major Legislati

By Kent Klein
Washington
31 May 2008

U.S. President George Bush says the Democratic-led Congress has failed to address a series of important issues, and he wants action soon. Democrats¹ are pushing their Republican colleagues in Congress to support environmental legislation. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.

President Bush says lawmakers need to move quickly on a wide range of bills when they return to Washington this coming week from their Memorial Day recess².

"I hope members of Congress return rested, because they have a lot of work left on important issues, and limited time to get it done," he said.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said Congress has failed to deal with issues including a free-trade agreement with Colombia, confirmation³ of the President's nominees⁴ for 350 federal positions, and funding for U.S. military forces abroad.

"Our troops in Afghanistan are performing with courage and honor, delivering blows to the Taleban and al-Qaida," he said. "Our troops in Iraq have driven al-Qaida and other extremists from sanctuaries⁵ they once held across the country, and are chasing them from their last remaining strongholds. Our men and women in uniform are risking their lives every day, and they deserve the resources and flexibility⁶ they need to complete their mission."

Mr. Bush said he wants Congress to pass a war funding bill that is not full of unrelated domestic spending.

The president's proposed free-trade agreement with Colombia was blocked in the House of Representatives, after U.S. labor⁷ unions complained that Colombian workers' rights are often violated.

In the Democratic Party radio address, Barbara Boxer⁸ of California, who leads the Senate's environment committee, called on her fellow Senators to support legislation to fight global warming.

"The fact is that the overwhelming majority of scientists say that the earth is in peril⁹, if we do not act now," she said. "They have told us clearly that more than 40 percent of God's creatures could face extinction¹⁰ if we do not act now."

Boxer disputed industry claims that proposed limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions¹¹ could threaten the economy. She said the legislation would create millions of new jobs and move the United States toward energy independence.

The Senate is to begin considering the bill on Monday.

1 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》

2 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

3 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

4 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

5 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

6 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

9 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

10 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

11 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。