2006年VOA标准英语-House Approves US Homeland Security Bill

By Dan Robinson
Washington
29 September 2006

Congress has given final approval to a homeland security bill that seeks to improve preparedness against future terrorist attacks, speed up responses to natural disasters, and strengthen port security. The measure may be supplemented by a separate action providing several billion dollars for the nation's ports and railways.

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From lessons learned as a result of the government's poor response to Hurricane Katrina last year, to continuing steps linked to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the measure for the 2007 fiscal¹ year covers a range of security priorities.

At nearly $35 billion, $2 billion above last year's levels, it directs funds to the nation's borders, coastlines and ports, as well as immigration and programs to protect against chemical and biological attack, and improve air and rail security.

Highlights include the addition of 1,500 border patrol agents, and funding for the US-VISIT program involving biometric screening methods at points of entry.

After a year in which the issue of security and foreign companies operations in U.S. ports became controversial, the measure provides over four-billion dollars for cargo² inspectors³, coast guard operations, and radiation detectors⁴ at ports.

Funding is also directed at helping⁵ the Department of Homeland Security ensure it can meet goals to have all containers screened at overseas ports, and eventually all machine-scanned for content at U.S. ports.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff spoke⁶ about this in a recent appearance before Congress. "We expect to have deployed⁷ by the end of this year, radiation portal monitors that cover 80 percent of the [container] cargo coming into this country and we will be at almost 100 percent by the end of next year," he said.

In approving the measure, which was the product of House-Senate negotiations⁸, lawmakers underscored the need to learn lessons from the past.

Congressman⁹ Harold Rogers of Kentucky recalled the security gaps revealed by the September 2001 al-Qaida attacks on the U.S. "Since that tragic¹⁰ day, a vigorous national debate over our vulnerabilities, fueled by historic levels of illegal immigration, has resulted in one very clear conclusion: We must do all we can to gain control over our borders and our coastlines, to preserve the sovereign integrity of our immigration system, and preserve the strength of our economy," he said.

The bill attempts to address some of the problems plaguing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sharply criticized in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, refers to provisions calling for a comprehensive structural¹¹ overhaul¹² of the agency. "This bill fixes and improves FEMA, with the leadership, authority and resources necessary to respond effectively to the next disaster," he said.

The legislation includes $3.5 billion for state and local first responders, such as firefighters and emergency workers who would react to disasters or attacks.

On transportation security, about six billion dollars goes to passenger and baggage screening, improving explosive detection, and air marshals.

On rail security, still cited by lawmakers as the most vulnerable part of the transportation system, $13.2 million goes for inspectors and explosive detection.

1 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。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 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。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

8 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。

9 Congressman   

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。

10 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

11 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

12 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。