IN THE NEWS - State of the Union

IN THE NEWS - State of the Union
By

Broadcast: Saturday, January 24, 2004

This Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.

 
Graphic¹ Image
President Bush gave his yearly State of the Union message Tuesday. He spoke² to a joint³ meeting of Congress. Mister Bush's State of the Union speech marked his third such message. The Constitution requires the president to report to Congress "from time to time." It also says the president should suggest measures necessary for the nation.

President Bush reported to the nation about Iraq, tax reductions and other issues. Mister Bush spoke more about his policies than about proposed new legislation. But he suggested a number of actions by Congress. For example, he called for extending the USA Patriot⁴ Act.

Congress passed the act after Islamic extremists attacked the United States in two-thousand-one. The act increases the powers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Critics say parts of the act violate Constitutional guarantees of privacy and fair treatment under the law.

The president praised the recent capture of ousted⁵ Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Mister Bush also strongly defended the invasion of Iraq. He said that Saddam's program for weapons of mass destruction would still be active if the United States had not acted.

Such weapons have not been found in Iraq. But Mister Bush said enough proof existed of activities related to the weapons to launch an invasion. The president also answered critics who say other nations should be more involved in Iraq. He listed nations that have taken part in the effort.

President Bush praised his tax cuts for Americans. He urged Congress to make the tax reductions permanent. He also praised the Medicare health care law for older citizens. He said the new law will help forty-million old people buy medicines ordered for them by their doctors.

Mister Bush criticized American courts for actions supporting marriage between people of the same sex. He appeared to be supporting a Constitutional amendment⁶ to ban such marriages.

Democratic Party leaders in Congress presented their party's official reaction to Mister Bush's speech. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said three-million private industry jobs were lost during Mister Bush's presidency⁷. She also criticized the cost of the war in Iraq, both in dollars and human lives.

Hours after his State of the Union speech, the president left Washington to visit three states important to his re-election.

Mister Bush is the Republican Party candidate for president in November. He is seeking a second four-year term in the White House.

Seven Democrats⁸ are competing for their party's nomination⁹ for president. On Monday, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry won the Iowa Caucuses¹⁰. The caucuses are the first in a series of nominating events in American states. These nominating meetings and primary elections will choose the Democratic Party's candidate for president.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Jerilyn Watson. This is Steve Ember.

1 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

2 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。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

5 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

6 amendment   

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。

7 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。

8 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》

9 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

10 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网