VOA标准英语2013--Republican Lawmakers Hammer Outgoing IRS Commissioner

 

Republican Lawmakers Hammer Outgoing IRS Commissioner¹

Appearing  before the House Ways and Means Committee just two days after his resignation, outgoing IRS Acting² Commissioner Steven Miller³ came under fire from Republican lawmakers who asked why he did not inform Congress his agency was singling out conservative groups for excessive scrutiny⁴.

"Mr. Miller, who in the IRS is responsible for targeting conservative organizations?" asked Republican Kevin Brady.

Miller said he could not name names, but he did apologize. "I think that what happened here was that foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their workload⁵ selection," he said.

Miller said he does not believe there was any political partisanship⁶ involved, and he explained that IRS staffers were trying to process a flood of applications from conservative "Tea Party" groups for tax exempt⁷ status starting around 2010.

The Republican committee chairman, Dave Camp, said the scandal had damaged President Barack Obama and his administration.

"Well, under this administration the IRS has abused its power to tax, and it has destroyed what little hope and faith and hope the American people had in getting a fair shake in Washington," said Camp.

Democratic lawmakers countered that Republicans should not use what they agreed was a serious issue to try to score political points and tarnish⁸ the president.

"So I would really ask the chairman and my colleagues on the other side, let's get the answers. Ask the questions, get the facts and then we can draw our own conclusions," said Democratic Congressman⁹ Joseph Crowley.

Republican-led committees in the House of Representatives are likely to keep asking questions about this scandal - and others plaguing President Obama and his administration - for months to come. 

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

4 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

5 workload   

n.作业量，工作量

参考例句：

• An assistant one day a week would ease my workload.每周有一天配一个助手就会减轻我的工作负担。
• He's always grousing about the workload.他总是抱怨工作量大。

6 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

7 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

8 tarnish   

n.晦暗，污点；vt.使失去光泽；玷污

参考例句：

• The affair could tarnish the reputation of the prime minister.这一事件可能有损首相的名誉。
• Stainless steel products won't tarnish.不锈钢产品不会失去光泽。

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。