2006年VOA标准英语-Democrats Continue Tough Questioning of Su

By Deborah Tate
Washington
11 January 2006

Senate Democrats² are continuing their tough questioning of U.S. Supreme³ Court Nominee⁴ Samuel Alito. Abortion⁵ has been a key issue at Wednesday's confirmation⁶ hearings. 

Samuel Alito  
  
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have expressed concern that Judge Samuel Alito, if confirmed to the high court, would seek to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.

In discussing the so-called Roe⁷ v. Wade⁸ case that established a woman's right to abortion, Alito declined to call the decision "settled law." He did call the ruling an "important precedent," but noted⁹ that abortion cases continue to be brought before the courts.

"It is an issue that is involved in a considerable amount of litigation that is going on," he said.

"I am concerned that many people will leave this hearing with a question as to whether or not you could be the deciding vote that would eliminate the legality of abortion, that would make it illegal in this country, that would criminalize the conduct of women who are seeking to terminate pregnancies¹¹ for fear of their lives, and the doctors who help them. said Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat¹. "That is very troubling."

If confirmed, Alito would succeed the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is considered a centrist and who often cast the deciding vote in five-to-four rulings in controversial cases, including cases upholding abortion rights.

But Senator Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, who has made no secret of his desire to see Roe v. Wade overturned, said some Supreme Court decisions are indefensible and should be reconsidered.

"Clearly, some precedents¹² are undeserving of respect because they are repugnant to the Constitution," he said.
 

Patrick Leahy  (file photo)   
  
On a number of other issues, the committee's top Democrat, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, expressed concerns with Alito's responses.

"A number of us have been troubled by what we see as inconsistencies in some of the answers," he said.

Leahy said he was concerned about how Alito answered questions concerning his membership in a conservative organization that opposed the admission of women and minorities at Princeton University. Alito had listed the organization on a Reagan administration job application, although at the hearings he said he did not recall participating in the group.
 

Ted¹⁰ Kennedy (file photo)   
  
At one point during the hearing the issue provoked a testy¹³ exchange between the committee chairman and one of the top Democrats, Senator Edward Kennedy.

Another issue that concerned Senator Leahy was Judge Alito's response about his role in a legal case dealing¹⁴ with the investment company Vanguard.

During his 1990 confirmation hearings to be appeals court judge, Alito vowed¹⁵ to remove himself from hearing cases involving Vanguard, which was handling a number of his investments. But in 2002 he did rule in a case involving Vanguard, and during the hearings Tuesday, he told Senators his participation¹⁶ was an oversight¹⁷, although he said he did nothing wrong.

Republicans dismissed the criticism and praised Alito for his judicial¹⁸ record.

Despite likely opposition¹⁹ from Democrats, Alito is expected to be confirmed by the full Republican-led Senate later this month.

1 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。

2 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》

3 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。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

8 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

11 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

12 precedents   

引用单元； 范例( precedent的名词复数 )； 先前出现的事例； 前例； 先例

参考例句：

• There is no lack of precedents in this connection. 不乏先例。
• He copied after bad precedents. 他仿效恶例。

13 testy   

adj.易怒的；暴躁的

参考例句：

• Ben's getting a little testy in his old age.上了年纪后本变得有点性急了。
• A doctor was called in to see a rather testy aristocrat.一个性格相当暴躁的贵族召来了一位医生为他检查。

14 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

15 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

16 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

17 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

18 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

19 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。