US Senate Extends Payroll Tax Cuts for Americans

 　　The U.S. Senate has passed a compromise measure that extends payroll¹ tax cuts for American workers for another two months.

　　Lawmakers in the upper house of Congress overwhelmingly passed the legislation by a vote of 89 to 10, a day after Republicans and Democrats² reached an agreement on the measure.

　　President Barack Obama had pressed Congress to extend the cuts, saying that otherwise, 160 million Americans would face a tax increase next year at a time when they can least afford it.  However, the bill falls short of the president's request for a one-year extension.

　　The measure now goes to the House of Representatives, where lawmakers could vote on it as early as Monday.  If approved, it will go to the president for his signature.

　　The Senate deal also contains a provision, forcing Obama to make a final decision within 60 days on the construction of an oil pipeline³ from Canada to the U.S. Gulf⁴ coast.  Many Democrats and environmentalists have campaigned against the measure.

　　Later Saturday, the Senate is expected to take up its version of a $1 trillion deal to fund government agencies until October 2012 and avoid a partial government shutdown.

　　The House of Representatives voted 296 to 121 Friday in favor of the bill to fund the government.

　　A shutdown would have forced government agencies to halt non-essential operations, and put tens of thousands federal employees on unpaid⁵ furlough.

　　Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Friday that the bill was put together in collaboration⁶ with lawmakers from both major parties.

　　Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, leader of the minority Democrats in the House, accused Republicans of political posturing⁷ and delaying tactics that caused the last-minute negotiations⁸ on such important legislation.

1 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

2 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》

3 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 unpaid   

adj.未付款的，无报酬的

参考例句：

• Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。
• He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

7 posturing   

做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was posturing a model. 她正在摆模特儿的姿势。
• She says the President may just be posturing. 她说总统也许只是在做样子而已。

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。