VOA常速英语2019--俄勒冈州参议员躲藏以阻挠气候法案

Oregon State Senators Go Into Hiding to Block Climate Bill

Oregon’s Republican senators walked out of the Capitol building in Salem on Thursday and have not returned since then.

周四，俄勒冈州的共和党参议员离开塞勒姆的国会大厦，此后一直没有返回。 

Their absence has led to the cancellation¹ of a vote on Sunday.

他们的缺席导致周日的投票活动取消。 

Oregon Senate has 30 seats, 18 of them held by Democrats³.

俄勒冈州参议院有30个席位，其中18个由民主党人担任。 

But at least 20 senators have to be present for a vote to take place.

但至少需要20名参议员必出席投票。 

Senate Republicans failed to show up and failed to do their jobs.

参议院共和党人未能出席，且未完成其工作。 

Governor Kate Brown has authorized⁴ state police to find the missing senators.

州长凯特·布朗（Kate Brown）已授权州立警察找寻失踪的参议员。 

But so far none has been tracked down.

但到目前为止还未找到任何踪迹。 

We have avoided being within the state boundaries where the governor can exercise at her prerogative--- the state troopers that call us back to the State Capitol.

我们已经避免进入该州州界，州长可根据其特权在州内行使权利，这些州立警察将我们召回州立议会大厦。

The Republican senators fiercely opposed the bill which aims to encourage businesses to switch to green technology.

共和党参议员强烈反对该法案，该法案旨在鼓励企业转向发展绿色技术。 

The Democrat² backed plan is to slash⁵ emissions⁶ by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

民主党支持的计划是到2050年将排放量减少80％，使其低于1990年的排放量。 

But Republicans say the ensuing gas and diesel⁷ price hikes would disproportionately affect rural Oregonians.

但共和党人表示，随之而来的天然气和柴油价格上涨将对各地俄勒冈农民造成的影响。 

They want a statewide referendum on the plan.

他们希望在全州范围内就该计划举行全民公决。 

I am doing the work of my constituents⁸ by avoiding saddling all Oregonians with this horrid⁹ piece of legislation.

我正在做我的选民的工作，避免让所有俄勒冈人背负这一可怕立法造成的后果。 

The walkout over the climate change bill affects more than 120 other bills since no votes can be made until the missing Republicans return.

气候变化法案罢会影响了其他120多项法案，因为在躲藏的共和党人返回之前不能进行投票。 

Oregon’s Senate President on Sunday appealed to the fugitive¹⁰ lawmakers to return.

周日，俄勒冈州参议院议长呼吁藏躲的立法者返回。 

This is the saddest day of my legislative¹¹ life.

这是我从事立法以来最令人悲伤的一天。 

But the Republicans point out that in 2001 House Democrats then a minority staged a five-day walkout to block a Republican bill.

但共和党人指出，在2001年，众议院民主党人中有少数人进行了为期五天的罢工，以阻止共和党的一项法案。

It would seem to be hypocritical of the Democrats to use the same, basically the same procedure that we were using, now and then when we use it, they say that it’s not appropriate.

民主党采用的方法与我们当时采用的方法基本相同，这似乎很虚伪，然后当我们这样做时，又说这样做不合适。

The missing senators have been ordered to pay a $500 fine for every day of absence from work.

躲藏的参议员被要求缺勤一天，罚款500美元。 

Their supporters have set up an online fundraiser to pay those fines.

他们的支持者已经设立了在线筹款活动以支付这些罚款。 

1 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

2 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。

3 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》

4 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

5 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

8 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 horrid   

adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的

参考例句：

• I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
• The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

10 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

11 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。