PBS高端访谈:美国众议院勉强通过特朗普新医改法案

 　　HARI SREENIVASAN: The White House, and House Republicans, are celebrating tonight. Today, they pushed through a bill to remake the health care system, something they failed to do back in March. The vote was 217 to 213.

　　Lisa Desjardins begins our coverage¹.

　　PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP²: Make no mistake: this is a repeal³ and a replace of Obamacare, make no mistake about it. Make no mistake.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: A dramatic day ended at the White House as President Trump and House Republicans celebrated⁴ wrestling out a hard-fought first win in the fight over the affordable⁵ care act.

　　PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We're going to get this passed through the Senate. I feel so confident. As much as we've come up with a really incredible health care plan, this has brought Republican Party together.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: Just an hour earlier, the Republican's American Health Care Act squeaked⁶ through with a single vote to spare. As the vote count was read, supporters erupted in cheers.

　　MAN: The bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: Twenty Republicans and every Democrat⁷ voted "no". Democrats⁸, who've said support of the bill would cost Republicans their seats, responded with taunts⁹ of "hey, hey, goodbye."

　　DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS: Hey, hey, goodbye!

　　LISA DESJARDINS: It was the culmination¹⁰ of days of tension and hours of heated debate. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who just six weeks ago was forced to pull an earlier version of the bill, made an emotional plea.

　　REP. PAUL RYAN, R-Wis., Speaker of the House: A lot of us have been waiting seven years to cast this vote. Are we going to meet this test? Are we going to be men and women of our word?

　　MEMBERS: Yes!

　　REP. PAUL RYAN: Are we going to keep the promises that we made?

　　MEMBERS: Yes!

　　REP. PAUL RYAN: Or are we going to falter¹¹?

　　MEMBERS: No!

　　REP. PAUL RYAN: No.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: Democrats summoned emotion too, insisting the vote was rushed, short-sighted and will hurt millions of Americans.

　　REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-Calif., House Minority Leader: Does Trumpcare protect seniors and families?

　　MEMBERS: No!

　　REP. NANCY PELOSI: Does Trumpcare — is Trumpcare good for our veterans?

　　MEMBERS: No!

　　REP. NANCY PELOSI: Is there any caring in Trumpcare at all?

　　MEMBERS: No.

　　美国众议院勉强通过特朗普新医改法案

　　LISA DESJARDINS: Just 24 hours earlier, a vote, much less passage, was uncertain. In the end, enough conservatives and a few moderates got on board to put the bill over the top. How did Republicans get those votes?

　　Two changes. First, a rescue amendment¹² from New Jersey¹³ Republican Tom MacArthur. It allows states to waive¹⁴ out of essential benefits like hospital care, spending caps and requirements surrounding pre- existing conditions. States can only drop those things if they show it would improve the market. That brought some conservative votes, but raised other concerns about people with pre-existing conditions.

　　The answer? Another amendment, from Michigan's Fred Upton, to add $8 billion to a $115 billion pot of money states can use to help the highest-risk patients. Democrats today called that amount a pittance¹⁵.

　　REP. JIM MCGOVERN, D-Mass.: It is a lie. It is a lie. And let's be honest about it: this does not cover people with pre-existing conditions and to come on a floor and say it does, to try to fool people — well, you may get away with it in the short term, you may get a headline. But I'll tell you, people will figure out soon enough.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: Republicans countered, charging their opponents were ill-informed.

　　REP. DOUG COLLINS, R-Ga.: I believe probably the reason they won't vote for it is they don't understand it, because pre-existing conditions are covered. If you have coverage now, nothing in our bill, no matter what would come from the state or anyone else, would lose the pre-existing conditions. But I guess it's just easier to talk your talking points.

　　LISA DESJARDINS: The bill would have sweeping¹⁶ other effects. Repealing¹⁷ Obamacare taxes and adding tax credits of a few thousand dollars, based on age and income.

　　But the most dramatic changes may be to Medicaid. The bill would cap benefits and phase out the expansion, for estimated cuts of $880 billion over a decade. That's one reason the Congressional Budget Office concluded it would mean 24 million more uninsured Americans.

　　CROWD: Shame! Shame! Shame!

　　LISA DESJARDINS: As House members debated the measure inside the capitol, protesters gathered outside. The bill now goes to the Senate where it faces an extensive potential makeover and concerns from members of both parties.

　　As for House Republicans, they left the Capitol en masse, with smiles, headed to a one-week recess¹⁸.

　　HARI SREENIVASAN: Lisa will be back, as we explore the politics and particulars of the Republican bill, after the news summary.

1 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。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

6 squeaked   

v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者

参考例句：

• The radio squeaked five. 收音机里嘟嘟地发出五点钟报时讯号。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Amy's shoes squeaked on the tiles as she walked down the corridor. 埃米走过走廊时，鞋子踩在地砖上嘎吱作响。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

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 taunts   

嘲弄的言语，嘲笑，奚落( taunt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He had to endure the racist taunts of the crowd. 他不得不忍受那群人种族歧视的奚落。
• He had to endure the taunts of his successful rival. 他不得不忍受成功了的对手的讥笑。

10 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

11 falter   

vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚

参考例句：

• His voice began to falter.他的声音开始发颤。
• As he neared the house his steps faltered.当他走近房子时，脚步迟疑了起来。

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 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。

14 waive   

vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等)

参考例句：

• I'll record to our habitat office waive our claim immediately.我立即写信给咱们的总公司提出放弃索赔。
• In view of the unusual circumstances,they agree to waive their requirement.鉴于特殊情况，他们同意放弃他们的要求。

15 pittance   

n.微薄的薪水，少量

参考例句：

• Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
• The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。

16 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？

17 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。

18 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。