U.S. Congress passes 50.5-bln-USD Sandy relief

 　　WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Monday passed the 50.5-billion-dollar relief bill for Superstorm Sandy, sending it to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature.

　　The bill, which passed the upper chamber¹ with a 62-36 vote, was geared toward providing relief for residents and businesses in states affected² by Sandy, which struck the U.S. mainland late last year. The bill would also pay for state and local governments' rebuilding projects stemming from the storm.

　　The bill includes 16 billion in Community Development Block Grant money critical for rebuilding, 10.9 billion for public transportation projects, and 13 billion to safeguard the Northeast against another storm.

　　The House passed the bill on Jan. 15, after being criticized for reacting too slow to the needs of those affected by the storm, who Northeastern lawmakers said desperately³ need the money.

　　The bill was met with resistance in both chambers⁴ from budget hawks⁵, who tried to offset⁶ the spending with cuts to other programs, in order not to increase federal deficit⁷.

　　The vote brings the total relief amount approved by Congress for Sandy aid to 60.2 billion. That includes 9.7 billion that the House and Senate approved on Jan. 4 to pay flood insurance claims related to the storm.

　　Sandy made landfall in New Jersey⁸ in late October, causing widespread damage in 24 states, killing⁹ over 100 people and causing at least 60 billion dollars of damage.

1 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。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

4 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

5 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

6 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。