VOA标准英语2009年-Obama, US Lawmakers Discuss Economy, Financial

President-elect Barack Obama met with majority Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill Tuesday about an emerging economic stimulus² plan. The talks came as the House of Representatives prepared to take up legislation that would place new restrictions³ on how the remainder of the government's $700 billion relief program for financial institutions is spent.
　

President-elect Barack Obama, accompanied by National Economic Council Director-designate Lawrence Summers, leaves a Democratic policy luncheon4 on Capitol Hill, 13 Jan. 2009

In a flurry of activity one week before his inauguration⁵ as the nation's 44th president, Mr. Obama sent key aides to negotiate details of the economic stimulus.

Composed of tax cuts and spending, the economic stimulus package is expected to cost at least $800 billion.

Lawrence Summers, the President-elect's chief economic advisor⁶, outlined the incoming administration's economic stimulus proposals, and discussed the separate matter of releasing the second $350 billion installment⁷ of the $700 billion financial institution rescue program.

The Mr. Obama later conferred for about an hour with Democrats⁸, including Senate Majority Leader Harry⁹ Reid.

"It was a very good meeting," he said. "We left, I think all of us felt very good, that we're going to work with the president-elect on this issue and those in the future to bring the country out of the deep hole that it finds itself in from an economic perspective."

Tuesday's discussions were aimed at smoothing over differences on the stimulus plan after Mr. Obama faced some opposition¹⁰, including from members of his own Democratic Party.

On the issue of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, Mr. Obama wants to subject financial institutions to greater accountability, and direct more money to help American families and businesses.

Lawmaker displayed their determination to require new conditions in a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee.

The House has scheduled a Thursday vote on legislation authored by Democrat¹ Barney Frank that would mandate¹¹ tighter controls on recipients¹² of government money and require spending to reduce home mortgage foreclosures.

"Having given $350 billion to the Bush administration, I believe it is reasonable to make it now available to the Obama administration, but with much more in the way of restriction," he said.

However, ranking panel Republican Spencer Bachus expressed concern that the second installment would be misspent.

"We are seeing now this thing transition, if we approve this second half, into a grab bag, where people can just reach in and get taxpayer¹³ money," he said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voiced similar concerns, telling reporters that Mr. Obama has been in touch with Republicans on the TARP matter.

"We would like to hear more from the new president and his team about just exactly how the $350 billion would be used," he said.

When it approved the first half of the financial rescue program in October, Congress gave itself 15 days after receiving a formal request from the White House for the balance of the funds, to approve or disapprove¹⁴ releasing the money.

Senate Majority Leader Reid told reporters on Tuesday that he is confident there would be sufficient votes to reject any motion for disapproval¹⁵. One such measure was introduced on Tuesday, sponsored by five Senate Republicans. Any motion of disapproval from Congress would be subject a presidential veto.

1 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。

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 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。

5 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

8 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》

9 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。

10 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。

11 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

12 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

14 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

15 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。