CNN 2010-12-16

A federal judge has something to say about the health care reform law. You're going to find out what in today's broadcast. I'm Carl Azuz. CNN Student News starts right now!

First up, though, the federal government will have more of a say in some of the foods you get in school. President Obama signed a new law yesterday that will overhaul¹ child nutrition standards. This is part of first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" program, which aims to fight childhood obesity². During the signing ceremony at a Washington-area elementary school, the president said this law is about "giving our kids the healthy futures³ they deserve."

Here's some of what's in the new law; the ingredients of it, if you will: The government will have more authority to set standards for what's sold in vending⁴ machines on school grounds. Schools will have to meet government health guidelines. And poorer areas will get more money to help pay for free meals. All told, this bill comes with a price tag of $4.5 billion. Some Democrats⁵ didn't like the bill, because part of the money to pay for it was going to be taken out of other programs that help provide food to poorer Americans. There was also some concern about schools being able to pay for healthier foods. They'll be getting more money from the government in order to help make up those costs.

Meanwhile, a federal judge says that a main part of President Obama's health care reform law is unconstitutional. This is about the "individual mandate⁶." What is the individual mandate? It's the part of the law that requires most Americans to buy health insurance by 2014, and if they don't buy it, they could be fined. This federal judge says "an individual's personal decision to purchase... health insurance... is beyond the historical reach of the U.S. Constitution." President Obama signed the health care reform bill into law back in March, and a lot of people say it's the biggest accomplishment⁷ of his time in office. Other judges have ruled that the individual mandate is constitutional, and the government is planning to appeal this week's ruling. The case could end up in front of the U.S. Supreme⁸ Court.

1 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

2 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

3 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

4 vending   

v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明

参考例句：

• Why Are You Banging on the Vending Machine? 你为什么敲打这台自动售货机？ 来自朗文快捷英语教程 2
• Coca-Cola had to adapt almost 300,000 vending machines to accept the new coins. 可口可乐公司必须使将近三十万台自动贩卖机接受新货币。 来自超越目标英语 第5册

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 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

7 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。