2007年VOA标准英语-President Faces Congress Skeptical on Iraq

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
23 January 2007

Hours before delivering his State of the Union address to a joint¹ session of Congress, President Bush faces continuing criticism from lawmakers on his strategy for Iraq.  VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, where comments by Democrats² and Republicans set the stage for events later in the day.

George W. Bush

The president confronts low public approval ratings, resistance from key members of his own party on Iraq, and a resurgent Democratic majority riding a wave of momentum³ after initial legislative⁴ successes.

In the House and Senate, many are skeptical⁵ that his 21,500 troop surge for Iraq can be effective against sectarian warfare⁶ and terrorist attacks, although Republican leaders try to maintain the appearance of a solid front of support.

House Minority Leader John Boehner spoke⁷ in a news conference:

"The president's plan is going to succeed in bringing a safer and more secure Iraq, and frankly⁸ a safer and more secure United States," he said.

With Iraq-related resolutions and other measures on track for consideration by the House and Senate, the president is expected to strongly defend his troop surge for Iraq.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer reiterates⁹ the Democrat's position:

"Clearly, there is a consensus¹⁰ in the country, we believe there is a consensus in the Iraqi government, and we believe there is a consensus in the Congress, that the proposal the president has made, to escalate¹¹ the troop presence, which has been tried on a number of occasions and has not worked, will not work now," he said.

Hoyer says two proposed bipartisan resolutions on Iraq in the Senate have the same thrust, disapproval¹² of the troop surge and emphasis on Iraqi government commitments.

Domestically, both parties are waiting to see what the president has to offer on domestic issues such as energy, health care and education. 

The president will renew a call for U.S. energy security and independence from imported oil, urging Americans to reduce gasoline consumption by 2017.

Congressman¹⁴ Rahm Emanuel says Democrats will be open to the president's proposals, but questions his commitment:

"[In] every [State of the Union] speech, he has talked about energy security and his goal for energy security, and yet under his presidency¹⁵, our dependence¹³ on foreign oil as a key part of our energy policy has grown, and we are no closer towards achieving the set goal," he said.

Republicans maintain that energy legislation pushed through Congress last year took steps toward energy independence.

Lawmakers are also bracing¹⁶ for what could be a tough fight a bit later this year when the president sends his 2008 budget to Congress.

Majority Leader Hoyer cautions that, in his words "a take it or leave it" approach, or one that does not take into account the true costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will not be received well by the Democratic majority.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

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 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

9 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。

10 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

11 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

12 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

13 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

14 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

16 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。