House to Vote on Fiscal Cliff Deal

 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have agreed to vote on a Senate-passed bill that would avert¹ the so-called "fiscal² cliff" of automatic tax increases and mandated³ spending cuts.

The Republican-dominated House will take a straight up-or-down vote after three days of intense negotiations⁴. The Senate passed the measure in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

Some conservative House members wanted to add more spending cuts to the plan, but did not have enough support among their fellow lawmakers to take such action. Aides to the Senate Democratic leadership had told reporters that chamber⁶ would not take up any bill that was amended⁷ by the House.

Earlier Tuesday, House Democrats⁸ and Republicans met separately to discuss the deal. Republican House Speaker John Boehner and his deputy, Eric Cantor, issued a statement saying there was "universal concern" among House members about the lack of spending cuts in the Senate bill. Cantor went even further, saying he would not support the Senate measure.

President Obama and congressional Republicans have sparred for more than a year over tax rates, the extent of government spending, chronic⁹ budget deficits¹⁰ and the country's mounting debt.

The number two House Democrat⁵, Steny Hoyer, earlier acknowledged that the Senate plan was a compromise that would only partially¹¹ satisfy each party.

"By definition, a compromise has elements in it that each party does not like.  But by definition it also has things in it that each party should like.  The speaker (Boehner) said that if the Senate passed a bill he would put it on the floor for a vote.  The (Democratic) leader (Nancy Pelosi) has pointed¹² out that we expect that to happen.  We think that's in the best interest of the American people," Hoyer said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urged members of the Republican-dominated House to move quickly to vote on the bill.

"It's long overdue¹³ for us to have this solution to go forward and remove all doubt as to how we, what comes next for our country.  So we expect, the American people deserve, an up-or-down vote on what was passed in the Senate," Pelosi said.

Under the plan, taxes would increase for individuals making more than $400,000 a year and couples earning more than $450,000, the first U.S. income tax increase in 20 years. The package also would extend unemployment benefits for a year and boost taxes on large inheritances.

The compromise delays mandated cuts to defense¹⁴ spending and domestic programs for two months, setting up a future battle between the parties. Analysts¹⁵ have said that without a compromise, the $500 billion in austerity measures could eventually plunge¹⁶ the U.S. economy into another recession.

U.S. Vice¹⁷ President Joe Biden has met with fellow Democrats to raise support for the bill.  President Barack Obama has urged the House to pass the bill "without delay."

As the House of Representatives convened¹⁸, House Chaplain Patrick Conroy prayed for God to "give each member the grace of courage to forge a constructive¹⁹ solution for the good of the nation and for all Americans."

The fiscal cliff bill is the result of two days of marathon negotiations between the White House and Senate Republicans.  It was passed in an unusual vote early on New Year's Day, 89-8. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the compromise was an "imperfect agreement" that will keep tax hikes from affecting most Americans.  He also thanked Vice President Biden, who worked with Senate leaders to craft the deal.

"We've taken care of the revenue side of this debate. Now it's time to get serious about Washington's out-of-control spending. That's a debate the American people want, it's the debate we'll have next and it's a debate Republicans are ready for," McConnell said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry²⁰ Reid thanked McConnell for his hard work on the compromise deal and urged House members to follow the Senate's bipartisan action.

"I hope the new year will bring a new willingness on the part of the House Republicans to join Democrats in the difficult but rewarding work of governing," Reid said.

Even as U.S. leaders wrangled²¹ over the tax and spending issues, they soon face a decision whether to increase the country's borrowing limit, which hit its current $16.4 trillion cap on Monday.  Officials say the country will be able to pay its bills for another two months, but by then will need to increase the debt ceiling, an action likely to spark another extended debate over Washington's spending priorities.

1 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

2 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。

3 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

4 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。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

8 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》

9 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

10 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

11 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

12 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

13 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

16 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。

17 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

18 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

19 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

20 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。

21 wrangled   

v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They wrangled over what to do next. 他们就接下来该干什么而争吵。 来自辞典例句
• They wrangled and rowed with other passengers. 他们与其他旅客争辨吵闹。 来自辞典例句