2006年VOA标准英语-US House Democrats Choose Leadership, Stress Un

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
16 November 2006
 
Democrats² in the U.S. Congress have completed the process of choosing leaders to guide them when they return as the majority in the new congress in January. A senior Democrat¹ who emerged over the last year as a key critic of President Bush on Iraq, was unsuccessful in his bid to become Democratic Majority Leader, under future House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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		From left: Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, Jim Clyburn and Steny Hoyer

John Murtha, the 74-year-old Democrat from Pennsylvania and proponent³ of an early U.S. troop withdrawal⁴ from Iraq, had challenged Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer for the post of Majority Leader.

Congresswoman Pelosi, who had worked well with Hoyer but also at times had her differences with him, supported Murtha.

Hoyer prevailed, by nearly a 2-1 margin⁵ in the Democratic caucus⁶ vote and told reporters he and Pelosi will work together based on common values:

"We may have, as everybody standing⁷ here may have, differences from time to time, but the Republicans need to know, the president needs to know, and the country needs to know, our caucus is unified⁸ today," he said.

Congresswoman Pelosi, elected unanimously as the future first woman House Speaker, said she supported Murtha because she thought it was the best way to bring an end to the war in Iraq.

Calling the conflict there an ethical⁹ issue facing Congress and the American people, she signaled Democrat's determination to work to end the war and bring U.S. troops home.

"I am a person who is committed to ending this war," she said. "It is a grotesque¹⁰ mistake, it is costing lives, limbs, [nearly] a trillion dollars, costing dollars, reputation in the world, cost to our military, and I promised that I would do everything possible to end it."

In expressing gratitude¹¹ in his victory for the number two Democratic spot, Hoyer referred to Murtha's call just over a year ago for a phased strategic redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq.

"We said to the president of the United States, your policy is not working Mr. President, stay the course is not an option, we need to transition, we need to strategically and quickly redeploy, we need to get the Iraqis to do many things to bring resolve to the conflict, but if you can't do that staying the course is not an answer. Yes, we agree on that," he said.

Among others elected to top positions, was Rahm Emmanuel to head the Democratic caucus, the number four position in the hierarchy¹². He is the Illinois Democrat who managed his party's House election campaign strategy that will have Democrats return in January, likely with at least a 30-seat majority.

Jim Clyburn, an African-American lawmaker from South Carolina, will be Democratic whip, the number three position. He also stressed unity¹³ in his remarks to reporters.

"[In the] elections, a lot of stones were thrown," he said. "But that is behind us. Today, it is time to gather stones and together we are going to make this country a better place for all who are destined¹⁴ to come after us."

In her remarks, Congresswoman Pelosi reiterates¹⁵ what Democrats call their 100-hour pledge.

Among other things, that involves an effort to push through congressional ethics¹⁶ reforms, implement¹⁷ all recommendations of the September 11 Commission that investigated the 2001 terrorist attacks, and repeal¹⁸ what they call unfair tax breaks approved by Republicans for oil companies.

Pelosi says she will seek bipartisan cooperation with Republicans, and with President Bush, on Iraq and domestic issues.

Senate Democrats formalized theirs earlier this week - Republicans in the House will hold their own election on Friday.

That has current Majority Leader John Boehner facing fellow Republican, Mike Pence, an Indiana conservative who has spoken out strongly against what he calls unwise over-spending by his party since they have been in power.

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 proponent   

n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的

参考例句：

• Stapp became a strong early proponent of automobile seat belts.斯塔普是力主在汽车上采用座椅安全带的早期倡导者。
• Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.哈尔西被认为是进步教育价值观的主要支持者。

4 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

5 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

6 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

9 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

10 grotesque   

adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）

参考例句：

• His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。
• Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

11 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

12 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

13 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

14 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

15 reiterates   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The Chinese government reiterates that the question of Taiwan is China's internal affair. 中国政府重申，台湾问题是中国的内政。 来自汉英非文学 - 汉英文件
• Wang Jianzhou reiterates a fact and a viewpoint in Davos. 王建宙在达沃斯重申一个事实和一个观点。

16 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

17 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

18 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。