VOA标准英语2009年-Obama to Sign Massive Economic Stimulus Bill In

U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the $787 billion economic stimulus¹ plan into law at a ceremony in the western city of Denver, Colorado on Tuesday. Mr. Obama calls it a "major milestone² on the road to recovery" for the U.S. economy, while critics insist it is too expensive and will create fewer jobs than proponents³ insist.
　
President Barack Obama walks on South Lawn of White House, 17 Fev 2009, as he departs for Denver, Colo.

The bill, which includes government spending and tax cuts intended to help push the U.S. economy out of recession, is the president's first big legislative⁴ victory since taking office last month.

Congress, which is controlled by Mr. Obama's Democratic Party, approved the plan on Friday, with legislators voting mostly along party lines. The Senate passed the plan with only three minority Republicans voting in favor of the bill. The plan received no Republican support in the House of Representatives.

During a radio address on Saturday, President Obama said the tax cuts and domestic spending projects will create millions of jobs and spur economic growth.

"It will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, ignite spending by businesses and consumers alike, and lay a new foundation for our lasting⁵ economic growth and prosperity," said Mr. Obama.

The following day, White House senior adviser⁶ David Axelrod cautioned on the Fox News Sunday television program that, while there will be signs of economic activity very quickly, it could be next year before improvement shows up in government reports - particularly with respect to the nation's 7.6 percent unemployment rate.

"The president has said it [i.e., the economy] is likely to get worse before it gets better. It is true that, without this program, it could be much, much worse," said Axelrod. "And, so, I don't expect the arrow [i.e., jobless number] to bend down by the end of the year. But I do expect the rise in unemployment to be retarded⁷ by the things that were done this week."

Moody's Economy.com chief economist⁸ Mark Zandi who also appeared on Fox News Sunday said President Obama's contention⁹ that the stimulus plan will create or save 3.5 million jobs is optimistic.

"It will make a difference. It's a good plan and I think it will help the economy. By my estimate, it will add two to 2.5 million jobs - more than would be the case without stimulus by the end of 2010," said Zandi. "That translates into a lower unemployment rate of about a point to a 1.50 percent. So it is meaningful. But I don't think it's enough. The economy is in a very difficult situation. The difficulties require a larger package. And I think a year from now, we will be talking about stimulus again, yes."

The bill still has strong critics, including Senate Banking¹⁰ Committee Republican Lindsey Graham who spoke¹¹ Sunday on ABC television's This Week program.

"Eleven percent of the money in this bill hits [i.e., will be spent] in 2009. Most of the money in this bill is in entitlement spending. It's not going to create jobs. Twenty-seven percent of this bill is now tax cuts. That's down significantly," said Graham. "Now, those tax cuts, most of them, only $3 billion, goes to small business. Seventy-five percent of the people in this country work for small business. Of the $787 billion bill, $3 billion is directed to small businesspeople. I think we missed the mark a long way. We increased new government. We did not increase new jobs."

Mr. Obama's former rival for the presidency¹², Republican Senator John McCain, says the President backtracked on promises of bipartisanship to get the bill passed. Former Democratic President Bill Clinton praised the stimulus package, saying it puts money in the hands of people who need it to survive - through unemployment benefits, food stamps, and tax cuts.

1 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。

2 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

3 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 retarded   

a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• The progression of the disease can be retarded by early surgery. 早期手术可以抑制病情的发展。
• He was so slow that many thought him mentally retarded. 他迟钝得很，许多人以为他智力低下。

8 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

9 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

10 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。

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。