VOA标准英语2009年-Congressional Democrats Outline Stimulus Plan,

Majority Democrats¹ in Congress have provided details of a huge stimulus² plan to help the battered³ U.S. economy, a bill that would be signed into law by Barack Obama after his inauguration⁴ as president next week.

At a projected $825 billion, the measure combines $550 billion in spending on a range of projects, aid for state and local governments, and $275 billion in tax cuts to create jobs and kick the economy out of recession.
　
House Appropriations⁵ Chairman David Obey speaks with reporters on the economic stimulus plan, 15 Jan 2009

Briefing reporters on Thursday, David Obey, Chairman of the House of Representatives' Committee on Appropriations, emphasized that job creation is a key objective.

Obey held up a chart from an economic expert who recently testified to Congress, predicting a potential 12 percent unemployment rate if a stimulus plan is not passed.

"We are losing jobs at a rate greater than 125,000 per week, and that is why speed is a necessity," he said.

House committees will consider the measure next week, with a goal of getting it to the House floor by the end of this month and sending it to the Senate.

Obey and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the bill takes into account suggestions from President-elect Barack Obama.

Pelosi commented on job creation objectives.

"We will have immediate⁶ job creation, that the job creation will continue, so that we have stabilization⁷ of the economy," she said.

Summaries of the legislation released by Democrats detail billions of dollars of investments in infrastructure⁸ projects, energy, technology, education, health programs and other areas.

Minority Republicans criticized the plan, calling Democratic spending proposals insufficient⁹ to stimulate¹⁰ the economy.

"It's clear that they [the Democrats] are moving on this path along the flawed notion that we can borrow and spend our way back to prosperity," said John Boehner, the Republican Minority Leader.
　
Barack Obama talks to reporters in Washington, 12 Jan 2008

Amid worsening unemployment numbers and ongoing¹¹ market volatility¹², President-elect Obama wants quick action on the stimulus package. He also has pushed lawmakers to approve the release of the second $350 billion installment¹³ of the financial institution bailout.

A final vote in the House of Representatives on a measure imposing¹⁴ strict new conditions on how financial bailout money is spent is expected next week.

In a statement, Mr. Obama said he is pleased with the progress by House Democrats, adding that the legislation will contain strict and independent oversight¹⁵, so Americans can hold Washington accountable for how and where money is spent.

While it would be one of the largest measures ever considered by Congress, Representative Obey said it should not be described as a "grand spending scheme".

At the same time, he warned that even the proposed $825 billion plan might be insufficient to stimulate an economy he described as "spiraling downward at a much faster rate than anybody thought possible."

1 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》

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

3 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

4 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

5 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

10 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

11 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

12 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

13 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

14 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

15 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。