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2007年VOA标准英语-White House, Congressional Democrats Heading fo

时间：2007-07-04 06:20:42

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（单词翻译）

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
28 June 2007

President Bush and majority Democrats1 in Congress are heading toward a constitutional showdown involving the controversy2 over the firing of federal prosecutors3. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, Democrats accuse the president and vice4 president of being above the law regarding that and other issues.

Fred Fielding (March 2007 photo)
Fred Fielding (March 2007 photo)
In a letter to Congress, White House counsel Fred Fielding says the president is invoking5 executive privilege in refusing to provide documents to committees investigating the firing of U.S. attorneys, and what Democrats believe was possible improper6 political influence in the matter.

Those documents involve former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor, both of whom were also supposed to appear at public hearings under congressional subpoenas8.

Fielding said the executive privilege claim pertained9 only to documents, but he and other officials made clear the president would also apply it specifically to testimony10 by both former officials.

The White House maintains that its release of 8,500 pages of documents, testimony by Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez at congressional hearings, and an offer to have Miers, Taylor, and Karl Rove, the president's close political adviser11, be interviewed behind closed doors without transcripts12 should be sufficient.

Sen. Patrick Leahy discusses the Senate Judiciary Committee's issuance of subpoenas for legal basis of domestic surveillance program on Capitol Hill, 27 June 2007
Sen. Patrick Leahy discusses the Senate Judiciary Committee's issuance of subpoenas for legal basis of domestic surveillance program on Capitol Hill, 27 June 2007
In angry reactions, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Pat Leahy and Congressman13 John Conyers accused the president of "stonewalling."

Senator Chuck Schumer also addressed the issue.

"The U.S. attorneys investigation14 asks so many questions, so many questions about the rule of law and the truth will come out," he said. "Senator Leahy, I talked to him this morning, and we will pursue whatever it takes to get this information to come out, but it is regrettable that the White House is trying to hide the facts. When an administration is trying to hide the facts, when an administration is unwilling15 to put forward its facts, you wonder what they have to hide."

Democrats also continue to seek documents and testimony on other issues, including the administration's warrantless program of electronic eavesdropping16. The Senate Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena7 to Vice President Dick Cheney's office demanding documents on that matter.

However, the ranking Republican on the committee, Arlen Spector, questioned whether a subpoena to the vice president's office is beyond the scope of the committee's authorization17.

"I think there needs to be a refinement18 of these subpoenas to come within the scope of what has been authorized19 and then to see even within that scope, which is much narrower then the subpoenas issued, to see if we can resolve this matter," he said.

The standoffs over congressional demands, subpoenas, and executive privilege could lead to congressional contempt citations20, and a battle in federal court which might not be resolved for many months, if at all before President Bush leaves office.

Senator Spector suggested that the White House offer for testimony behind closed doors, should be accepted, to move the matter of fired attorneys ahead and lessen21 what he calls "disarray22" in the Department of Justice, even without transcripts.

Democrats and the vice president are also in conflict over another issue, namely his refusal to comply with an existing presidential order regarding the handling of classified documents.

In refusing to allow National Archives information security officials access to his office, the vice president initially23 claimed he is not part of the executive branch of government but the legislative24 branch, citing his role as president of the Senate.

On the floor of the House, Democrats introduced an amendment25 to financial legislation aimed at cutting off government funding for the vice president's office.

Dick Cheney speaks at AIPAC 2007 Policy Conference in Washington, DC, 12 March 2007
Dick Cheney (file photo)
"The vice president is not above the law and cannot ignore the rules," said Congressman Rahm Emanuel. "The law should follow him, whatever branch of government he chooses to hang his hat in."

Republicans condemned26 the effort, with Congressman Roy Blunt asserting it has political motivations.

"It's not a serious amendment about really de-funding the vice president's office, it is an amendment about something other than that and we know it," he said.

A subsequent statement by the vice president's chief of staff appeared to back away from the original argument.

But that has not quieted complaints by Democrats who point to what they call Mr. Cheney's long history of secretiveness and concealing27 information from congressional investigators28.
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1 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
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》
2 controversy 6Z9y0     
n.争论，辩论，争吵
参考例句：
  • That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
  • We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。
3 prosecutors a638e6811c029cb82f180298861e21e9     
检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人
参考例句：
  • In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
  • You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。
4 vice NU0zQ     
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。
5 invoking ac7bba2a53612f6fe1454f6397475d24     
v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求
参考例句：
  • You can customise the behavior of the Asynchronous Server and hence re-brand it by defining your own command set for invoking services. 通过定义自己调用服务的命令集，您可以定制自定义异步服务器的行为，通过为调用服务定义自己的命令集从而对它重新标记。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • You can customize the behavior of the Asynchronous Server and hence re-brand it by defining your own command set for invoking services. 通过定义自己调用服务的命令集，您可以定制自定义异步服务器的行为，通过为调用服务定义自己的命令集从而对它重新标记。 来自辞典例句
6 improper b9txi     
adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的
参考例句：
  • Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
  • Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。
7 subpoena St1wV     
n.（法律）传票；v.传讯
参考例句：
  • He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
  • Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。
8 subpoenas 1d71b2fcc5d64d916f25f0c23b3dff6a     
n.（传唤出庭的）传票( subpoena的名词复数 )v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
  • Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网
9 pertained 3a58c38201126d5168f1ac24aec98c19     
关于( pertain的过去式和过去分词 )； 有关； 存在； 适用
参考例句：
  • These are the privileges that pertained only to the wealthier class. 这些是属于富有阶级独享的特权。
  • And did you feel it, in your heart, it pertained to everything? 而你是否感受到，在你心里，它如何和谐于万物？
10 testimony zpbwO     
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。
11 adviser HznziU     
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。
12 transcripts 525c0b10bb61e5ddfdd47d7faa92db26     
n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本
参考例句：
  • Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
  • You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句
13 Congressman TvMzt7     
n.（美）国会议员
参考例句：
  • He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
14 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
15 unwilling CjpwB     
adj.不情愿的
参考例句：
  • The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
  • His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。
16 eavesdropping 4a826293c077353641ee3f86da957082     
n. 偷听
参考例句：
  • We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
  • Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。
17 authorization wOxyV     
n.授权，委任状
参考例句：
  • Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
  • You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。
18 refinement kinyX     
n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼
参考例句：
  • Sally is a woman of great refinement and beauty. 莎莉是个温文尔雅又很漂亮的女士。
  • Good manners and correct speech are marks of refinement.彬彬有礼和谈吐得体是文雅的标志。
19 authorized jyLzgx     
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。
20 citations f545579a8900192a0b83b831bee7f711     
n.引用( citation的名词复数 )；引证；引文；表扬
参考例句：
  • The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Some dictionary writers use citations to show what words mean. 有些辞典的编纂者用引文作例证以解释词义。 来自辞典例句
21 lessen 01gx4     
vt.减少，减轻；缩小
参考例句：
  • Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
  • They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。
22 disarray 1ufx1     
n.混乱，紊乱，凌乱
参考例句：
  • His personal life fell into disarray when his wife left him.妻子离去后，他的个人生活一片混乱。
  • Our plans were thrown into disarray by the rail strike.铁路罢工打乱了我们的计划。
23 initially 273xZ     
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。
24 legislative K9hzG     
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。
25 amendment Mx8zY     
n.改正，修正，改善，修正案
参考例句：
  • The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
  • The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。
26 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
27 concealing 0522a013e14e769c5852093b349fdc9d     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产
28 investigators e970f9140785518a87fc81641b7c89f7     
n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
  • The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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