VOA标准英语2009年-US Lawmakers Demand Details About Bank Bailout

U.S. Treasury¹ Secretary Timothy Geithner returned to the U.S. Congress Wednesday, a day after he announced the Obama administration's plan for continuing efforts to rescue the nation's ailing² banking³ system. He faced lawmakers frustrated⁴ that few details of the plan have been released.
　
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner testifies before the Senate Budget Committee on Capitol Hill, 11 Feb 2009

In his second day of testimony⁵, Geithner again offered a broad description of the Obama administration's financial rescue plan, which seeks to use up to $2 trillion to help shore up ailing banks and spur more lending.

The plan includes expanding a lending program to facilitate consumer and business loans and government financing for private companies to buy up bad real estate assets.

But in his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Geithner remained vague on details of the plan.

He offered this response when Senator Lyndsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, asked him whether the administration would ask Congress for more money for the program.

"Can't tell you that at this point," Geithner said. "But if we think there is a good case for doing it, we are going to come tell you how we are going to do it."

"Okay, good. So, you have no clue," said Graham.

Geithner said $315 billion remain in the original $700 billion bailout that Congress approved last year.

Senator Graham said that would not be enough money to solve the banking and housing crisis, and said the administration should admit now that it will need more money.

Geithner defended the lack of details in the plan, saying the crisis will take a long time to resolve.

"This is the beginning of a process of consultation⁶. I completely understand the desire for details and commitments," he told the Senate Budget Committee. "But we want to do this carefully, consult carefully so we do not put ourselves in the position again where we are laying out details ahead of the care and substance to get it right, which requires quick departures and changes in strategy. I do not want to do that."

Committee chairman Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat⁷, asked when the administration might know whether it would need more money from Congress for the financial rescue program, saying lawmakers will be preparing the annual federal budget and need to plan accordingly.

Geithner said the administration should have a better idea in the next several weeks.

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

3 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

6 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

7 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。