VOA标准英语2009年-Obama: Insurance Industry Fighting Hard To

By Kent Klein
Washington
17 October 2009

 
President Barack Obama (file photo)
U.S. President Barack Obama says the nation is closer to reforming its health care system than ever before. The president is warning, however, that the insurance industry is fighting hard to stop the process.

President Obama is praising the Senate Finance Committee for passing a health care reform bill in the past week. But in his weekly radio and Internet address, Mr. Obama cautions that much more work needs to be done to complete his planned overhaul¹ of the health care system. "But this is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. This is not the time to grow complacent². There are still significant details and disagreements to be worked out in the coming weeks. And there are still those who would try to kill reform at any cost," he said.

The president says the cost of failing to reform health care would devastate³ the U.S. economy. He warns that inaction would lead to lower salaries, higher unemployment, lower profits and an increased number of people without insurance. "For decades, rising health care costs have unleashed⁴ havoc⁵ on families, businesses and the economy. And for decades, whenever we have tried to reform the system, the insurance companies have done everything in their considerable power to stop us," he said.

Mr. Obama said the health insurance industry is mounting what he calls "one last fight to save the status quo." "They are filling the airwaves with deceptive⁶ and dishonest ads. They are flooding Capitol Hill with lobbyists and campaign contributions. And they are funding studies designed to mislead the American people," he said.

Even though one Republican Senator on the Finance Committee, Olympia Snowe of Maine, voted for the president's plan, most Republicans remain opposed to it.

In the weekly Republican message, Congressman⁷ Kevin Brady of Texas says Mr. Obama's health care reform would mean higher taxes and government interference in private citizens' medical treatment. "The massive health care plans being crafted behind closed doors in Washington will ultimately allow the government to decide what doctors we can see, what treatments the government thinks you deserve, and what medicines you can receive," he said.

Whatever reform plan emerges from the various House and Senate committees would need to pass both houses of Congress before going to Mr. Obama for his signature.

1 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

2 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

3 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

4 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

6 deceptive   

adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。
• The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

7 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。