VOA英语2010年-US Tax Bill Clears Senate

The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved a sweeping¹ federal tax bill that will swell² America's national debt by hundreds of billions of dollars and, it is hoped, stimulate³ a lagging U.S. economy. Attention now shifts to the House of Representatives, where some Democrats⁴ want to alter the tax deal struck between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Senate voted 81 to 19 to extend existing federal tax rates for all income levels. Those tax rates are set to rise beginning next year - an outcome neither party wants at a time of chronic⁵ economic weakness. The bill also extends federal jobless benefits, limits inheritance taxes on multi-million-dollar estates, and trims worker payroll⁶ contributions to Social Security. The bill would increase spending and shrink revenue, sharply boosting federal indebtedness over the next two years.

A common refrain from liberal and conservative senators alike: The tax deal is flawed, but better than doing nothing.

Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona said, "Nobody thinks this is a perfect bill."

The senator explained his "yes" vote this way: "While any increase in the deficit⁷ is unwelcome, the overall merits of this bill, including preventing a massive tax increase - one for each and every taxpayer⁸ - outweigh⁹ [concerns about] that deficit increase, in my opinion."

At the other end of the ideological¹⁰ spectrum¹¹, California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer¹² said dire¹³ economic conditions make the tax deal necessary. "I voted for this bill because I think our economy continues to be in a fragile state when it comes to job growth."

A handful of Republicans who opposed the deal objected to extending unemployment benefits without corresponding cuts in spending to offset¹⁴ the cost.

Meanwhile, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont voted "no" to protest what he sees as tax giveaways for the super-rich. "We are in the process of providing huge tax breaks to the wealthiest people in this country, to drive up the national debt, which our kids and grandchildren will have to pay off."

Sanders was one of several senators to offer amendments¹⁵ ahead of the vote, none of which were adopted.

The House of Representatives also is expected to vote on the tax package, but it is not clear whether the chamber¹⁶ will alter the bill as it currently exists. Any changes would send the package back to the Senate for another vote.

Economists¹⁷ view the tax bill as stimulative¹⁸, and some forecasters say the package could boost U.S. economic output by one percentage point next year. But it will add to America's trillion-dollar federal deficit at a time when polls show Americans worried about soaring U.S. national debt.

While voting for the tax bill, Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner said Congress must address the fiscal¹⁹ imbalance. "It is time for us in the Senate, and excuse the language, to put up or shut up [act or be silent]. We can do short term stimulus²⁰ now, but next year engage in meaningful tax reform and deficit reduction."

President Obama has championed the tax bill as an imperfect, but necessary bipartisan compromise to fuel economic growth. If enacted²¹, the measure effectively postpones²² thorny²³ tax issues until 2012, when Mr. Obama presumably will be running for reelection, and Republicans hope to take control of both the White House and the Senate.

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

3 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

4 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》

5 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

6 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 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。

9 outweigh   

vt.比...更重，...更重要

参考例句：

• The merits of your plan outweigh the defects.你制定的计划其优点胜过缺点。
• One's merits outweigh one's short-comings.功大于过。

10 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。

11 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

12 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

13 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

14 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

15 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

16 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

17 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 stimulative   

n.刺激，促进因素adj.刺激的，激励的，促进的

参考例句：

• Do you want to enjoy the absolutely stimulative experience? 你想享受魔兽游戏带来的绝对刺激的体验吗？ 来自互联网
• Discussed follow pattern of demand, the way that stimulative technology progresses. 探讨了遵循供求规律，促进技术进步的途径。 来自互联网

19 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。

20 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。

21 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

22 postpones   

v.延期，推迟( postpone的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• So it at least postpones the amount of taxes on due. 因此它至少推延了税金的交纳。 来自互联网
• Even if it does, this just postpones the day of reckoning. 但即便如此，也只是推迟了不得不解决根本问题的日子而已。 来自互联网

23 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。