2006年VOA标准英语-US Senate Panel Approves Supreme Court Nom

By Deborah Tate
Washington
24 January 2006

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as expected, has voted to send the Supreme¹ Court nomination² of Judge Samuel Alito to the full Senate for confirmation³.  The vote was divided along party lines.

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Samuel Alito   
  

The Republican-led committee approved Judge Samuel Alito's nomination on a 10 to eight vote, with all panel's Democrats⁵ voting in opposition⁶.

Members of the committee had signaled how they would vote in recent days, so there was little surprise.

As he opened Tuesday's committee session, the Republican chairman, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, explained his support for the nominee⁷.

"His personal background is exemplary, his professional qualifications are outstanding, his educational achievements are of the highest order," Mr. Specter said.

Democrats agree Alito is intelligent and well educated.  But they argue his record suggests he is too deferential⁸ to presidential power and thus not fit for the high court, particularly at a time when questions have arisen about the legality of President Bush's decision to order, without warrants, eavesdropping⁹ on American citizens suspected of having ties to terrorists.

"This is a nomination that I fear threatens the fundamental rights and liberties of all Americans now and for generations to come," said Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat⁴ on the committee. "The president is in the midst of a radical¹⁰ realignment of the powers of the government and its intrusiveness¹¹, its intrusiveness into the private lives of Americans.  I believe that nomination is part of that plan.  I am concerned that if we confirm this nominee, we will further erode¹² the checks and balances that have protected our constitutional rights for more than 200 years."

If confirmed, Alito would succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is considered a moderate, and who has often cast the deciding vote in five-to-four decisions in controversial cases.   Democrats fear Alito would shift the ideological¹³ balance of the court in a more conservative direction.  They are especially concerned he would try to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion¹⁴.

"I am very concerned about the impact he would have on women's rights, including a woman's right to make certain reproductive choices," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and the only woman on the committee.

Republicans, including Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, dismiss the concerns.

"His opinions are thoughtful, well-reasoned, careful and respectful of precedent," he said.

The full Republican-led Senate, which begins debate on the nomination Wednesday, is expected to confirm Alito as early as the end of the week.

1 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。

2 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

3 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。

4 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。

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 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。

7 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。

8 deferential   

adj. 敬意的，恭敬的

参考例句：

• They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
• I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。

9 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 intrusiveness   

参考例句：

12 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

13 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。

14 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。