CNN 2010-03-26

PHILLIPS: It's the most sweeping¹ health care overhaul² in decades. So, what's in the bill and what's in it for you? It will make coverage³ available to 32 million Americans, that's what it will do, the ones that are now living without health insurance. And it would forbid insurance companies from denying coverage to people with preexisting medical conditions. But, it would require most Americans to purchase insurance whether they want it or not. If they refuse, they could face penalties.

Now, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the measure, as it stands today, would cut deficits⁴ by an estimated $138 billion over a decade.

OK. Just before midnight, President Obama stepped before the White House cameras and hailed the reform as, quote, "a victory for the American people." Take a listen.

BARRACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: After nearly 100 years of talk and frustration⁵, after decades of trying and a year of sustained effort and debate, the United States congress finally declared that America's workers and America's families and America's small businesses deserve the security of knowing that here in this country, neither illness nor accident should endanger the dreams they've worked a lifetime to achieve.

PHILLIPS: But the top Republican in the House says the overall is being forced on a public that just doesn't want it.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: We have failed to listen to America, and we have failed to reflect the will of our constituents⁶. And when we fail to reflect that will, we fail ourselves and we fail our country. And look at how this bill was written? Can you say it was done openly? With transparency and accountability? Without back room deals struck behind closed doors, hidden from the people? Hell, no, you can't.

 

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 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。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 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

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》