美国国家公共电台 NPR--The Senate passes the Inflation Reduction Act and it moves on to the House

The Senate passes the Inflation Reduction Act and it moves on to the House

Transcript¹

After months of negotiations², Senate Democrats⁴ passed a major climate, health care and tax bill — a centerpiece of President Biden's agenda. Vice⁵ President Harris broke the 50-50 tie.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Senate Democrats have passed a major climate, health care and tax bill after months of negotiations.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

It is a centerpiece of President Biden's agenda.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CHUCK SCHUMER: It's been a long, tough and winding⁶ road. But at last, at last, we have arrived. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated⁷ the Inflation Reduction Act clearing the Senate, with Vice President Harris breaking the 50-50 tie.

FADEL: NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh joins us now with more. Good morning.

DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE⁸: Good morning, Leila.

FADEL: So, Deirdre, how did the Democrats finally push the bill through the Senate?

WALSH: Well, this is a major win for President Biden. And it came well after a year of internal squabbles between moderates and progressives about the size and the scope of the proposal. Remember, Democrats were initially⁹ looking at a $3.5 trillion package. And this is roughly 700 billion. But Schumer and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin secretly renewed talks about 10 days ago to put together this framework. Many Democrats were skeptical¹⁰ it would actually happen after Manchin had repeatedly pulled back from negotiations, citing inflation concerns - the last time, just days before the deal was announced. Democrats also needed the votes of Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema. They were able to get her on board after taking out a tax provision targeting hedge funds that she opposed.

FADEL: So what's in the bill?

WALSH: Several significant policy changes. This represents the largest federal investment in climate and energy policy. It has a roughly $370 billion for things like tax credits for electric vehicles and money for renewable energy programs. Democrats say these investments are going to cut greenhouse gas emissions¹¹ by 40% from 2005 levels by the end of this decade.

Here's Massachusetts Democrat³ Ed Markey on what this means.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ED MARKEY: Very few pieces of legislation will ever make the kind of impact that this climate bill will have not just for the United States, but for the entire world.

WALSH: To get Manchin on board, there are provisions for new leases for oil and gas production and also a commitment to pass permitting legislation separately.

FADEL: What about the health care and tax policies?

WALSH: This bill is going to lower the cost of some prescription¹² drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain medications. It will also cap out-of-pocket costs for people on Medicare to about $2,000 per year starting in 2025. The drug industry has lobbied against these things for years, so getting this through was a really big deal. The bill also extends the subsidies¹³ for the Affordable¹⁴ Care Act that were part of a pandemic aid relief bill for three more years. And the taxes in this bill include a 15% corporate¹⁵ minimum tax and an excise¹⁶ tax on stock buybacks. They're going to bring in roughly $300 billion in new revenue that will help pay down the deficit¹⁷.

FADEL: OK. So what happens next with the bill?

WALSH: So the House is scheduled to return from its recess¹⁸ this Friday, and it's expected to approve the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a really small margin¹⁹. And again, we don't expect any Republican votes, so she's going to have to keep her caucus²⁰ together. But we're less than three months from the midterms, and Democrats are really eager to move beyond these internal splits and talk about the accomplishments²¹ they've been able to get through Congress just in the last few months.

They've passed bipartisan gun reform, veterans health care bill, a bill boosting semiconductor²² chip production in the U.S. But this domestic energy, climate and health care bill for many is a centerpiece for Democrats, especially those in tight races in the November midterms. Republicans are going to argue that more federal spending is a bad move, with record inflation right now. But there is bipartisan support for things like lowering prescription drug costs.

FADEL: That's NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Thanks so much.

WALSH: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 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。

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

11 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。

12 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

13 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

15 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

16 excise   

n.(国产)货物税；vt.切除，删去

参考例句：

• I'll excise the patient's burnt areas.我去切除病人烧坏的部分。
• Jordan's free trade zone free of import duty,excise tax and all other taxes.约旦的自由贸易区免收进口税、国内货物税及其它一切税收。

17 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。

18 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

19 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

20 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

21 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

22 semiconductor   

n.半导体

参考例句：

• In the beginning,engineers hoped to use semiconductor lasers.在开始时，工程师们希望能够利用半导体激光器。
• The main agent of the company brand semiconductor sales.本公司主要代理各品牌半导体销售。