VOA标准英语2008年-Bush Urges Congress to Approve War Funding

By Scott Stearns
White House
07 June 2008

U.S. President George Bush wants $178 billion more in military spending to help pay for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, opposition¹ Democrats² are adding domestic spending to that bill, and Mr. Bush says he will veto it if those programs are not removed.
　

President George Bush, 02 Jun 2008

President Bush says more money is urgently needed for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Each day, the men and women of our Armed Forces risk their lives to make sure their fellow citizens are safer," he said. "They serve with courage and honor. They've earned the respect of all Americans. And they deserve the full support of Congress. I often hear members of Congress say they oppose the war, but still support the troops. Now they have a chance to prove it."

If lawmakers do not act, President Bush says critical accounts at the Department of Defense³ will soon run dry. In his weekly radio address, he warns that civilian⁴ employees may face temporary layoffs⁵ next month. After July, Mr. Bush says the Pentagon will no longer be able to pay U.S. troops, including those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Lawmakers have had the president's request for additional military funding for 16 months. Opposition Democrats have attached unrelated domestic spending to the bill, taking it beyond the president's $178 billion request. Mr. Bush says he will veto the measure if it exceeds what he says are his reasonable and responsible funding levels.

In the Democratic radio address, South Carolina Congressman⁶ John Spratt says a spending blueprint⁷ for the next fiscal⁸ year restores money the president wants to cut from education and health care.

Spratt, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee, criticized the president for turning a $236 billion surplus into record deficits⁹.

"Faced with these grim facts, what does the president's budget for next year propose? More of the same and a mountain of debt. The budget the Democrats passed this week charts a new course. It restrains spending and sticks to the rule of pay-as-you-go but supports investments in energy, education, and infrastructure," he said.

Spratt says the Democrats' $3 trillion-plan will balance the federal budget by 2012. But it assumes no additional spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after next year and allows many of the president's record tax cuts to expire.

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 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

6 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。

7 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

8 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

9 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句