2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Signs Law Boosting US Port Security

By Scott Stearns
White House
13 October 2006

U.S. President George Bush says tighter security at American sea ports will make the nation more prosperous and better prepared for possible terrorist attacks. 
 

George Bush speaks before signing the Security and Accountability For Every (SAFE) Port Act in Washington, Oct. 13, 2006  
  
President Bush signed into law a series of security improvements for American sea ports meant to make it more difficult for terrorists to smuggle¹ in a nuclear, chemical or biological weapon.

"Our seaports² are a gateway³ to commerce, a source of opportunity and a provider of jobs," he said. "Our ports could also be a target of a terrorist attack, and we are determined⁴ to protect them."

More than 11 million shipping⁵ containers clear American ports each year, many without inspection⁶. The new measures fund the development of technology to allow inspectors⁷ to check for dangerous materials inside cargo⁸ containers, without opening them.

It requires the installation of radiation detection equipment at America's 22 busiest sea ports by the end of next year, and background checks on workers at all of the nation's 361 ports.

The law also expands a partnership⁹ with the private sector¹⁰, rewarding shippers who improve their own security with expedited clearance¹¹ through customs.
 

Port of New Orleans  
  
The Port Security Act codifies¹² a four-year-old Container Security Initiative that puts U.S. officials at dozens of foreign ports on five continents inspecting cargo before it is shipped to the United States.

The law also empowers the Department of Homeland Security to establish plans for reacting to a terrorist attack on American sea ports. The president says he wants officials to be ready to reopen ports and waterways as quickly as possible, if they are targets of attack.

"We will do everything we can to prevent an attack," the president said. "But if the terrorists succeed in launching an attack, we will be ready to respond."

The legislation was one of the last bills passed by Congress before next month's congressional elections. It helps the president focus on what he says will be the key to his Republican Party maintaining majorities in the House and Senate: national security and the economy.

Opposition¹³ Democrats¹⁴ backed the port security measure, but say it does not address what they say is a shortfall in funding for security improvements on rail and mass transit¹⁵.

1 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。

2 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

3 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

6 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

7 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

9 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

10 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

11 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

12 codifies   

n.把（法律）编成法典( codify的名词复数 )v.把（法律）编成法典( codify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The latest draft of the agreement codifies the panel's decision. 最新的协议草案把专家小组的决定加以整理，形成了条文。 来自辞典例句
• The law that codifies evil is the essence of lawlessness. 肯定坏事的法律实质上等于无法。 来自互联网

13 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。

14 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》

15 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。