VOA常速英语2013 华盛顿本周聚焦政府关门问题

 

Washington Week: Focus on Potential Federal Shutdown 华盛顿本周聚焦政府关门问题

WASHINGTON — Once again, the U.S. government faces a potential shutdown driven by a politically-divided Congress unable to agree on federal funding. Later this week, the Senate is expected to pass a temporary spending measure incompatible¹ with a House bill approved last week. Unless the two chambers² pass identical bills, a limited government shutdown will begin October 1.

Friday, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives extended federal spending authority, but defunded President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers:

周五，共和党控制的众议院延长的联邦开支授权，但撤销了总统巴拉克·奥巴马签署的医疗法的拨款。共和党女议员凯蒂·莫里斯·罗杰斯说：

“The House has acted to keep the government open, to control spending, and to protect people from an unworkable law that is making it harder on them,” said McMorris Rodgers.

“众议院已经努力维持政府运转、控制开支、保护人民不受那些使他们更艰难的不管用的法律的影响。”

House Speaker John Boehner sounded triumphant³.

众议院议长约翰·博纳听起来得意洋洋。

“The American people do not want the government shutdown, and they do not want Obamacare. The House has listened to the American people. Now it is time for the Senate to listen to them, as well,” said Boehner.

“美国人不想让政府关门，他们不想要奥巴马医改，众议院听从过美国人民的意见。现在是参议院听从人民心声的时候了。”

The jubilant tone did not carry over to the Democratically-controlled Senate. Majority Leader Harry⁴ Reid:

这种得意的语气并没有压倒民主党控制的参议院，多数派领袖哈里·瑞德说：

“Any bill that de-funds Obamacare is dead. Dead. It is a waste of time, as I have said before,” said Reid.

“任何撤销奥巴马医改的法案都是无效的，正如我此前所说的，这是在浪费时间。”

Democrats⁵ say they will only vote to authorize⁶ spending that includes funding for the Affordable⁷ Care Act, or “Obamacare,” which seeks to boost the number of Americans with healthcare insurance. Senator Charles Schumer:

民主党称他们只投票授权包括平价医疗法案即“奥巴马医改”在内的开支，奥巴马医改意在增加参加医保的人数。参议员查尔斯查尔斯·舒默：

“We will not blink [back down]. Do not get it into your heads that we will. We will not!”, said Schumer.

“我们不会让步的，不要幻想我们会让步，我们不会的！”

Democratic lawmakers have the full backing of President Obama, who has repeatedly blasted House Republicans and accused them of putting America's economic recovery at risk.

民主党议员全面支持总统奥巴马，奥巴马多次指责众议院的共和党，称他们置美国经济复苏于危险之地。

“They would actually plunge⁸ this country back into recession - all to deny the basic security of health care to millions of Americans. Well, that is not happening,” said the president.

“我们是在将美国推向衰退，否定了几百万美国人享有基本医疗的保障，这是不能得逞的。”

If the Senate passes a bill funding Obamacare, focus would then shift back to the House - with mere⁹ days before the threatened government shutdown begins. 

如果参议院通过给奥巴马医改提供拨款的法案，关注点将很快转到众议院，而距离政府关门也没有几天了。

1 incompatible   

adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的

参考例句：

• His plan is incompatible with my intent.他的计划与我的意图不相符。
• Speed and safety are not necessarily incompatible.速度和安全未必不相容。

2 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

3 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 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》

6 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

7 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

8 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

9 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。