VOA常速英语2007-White House Criticized for Editing Climate Chang

By Leta Hong Fincher
Washington
26 October 2007
 

Bush administration officials admit that they heavily edited testimony¹ on climate change delivered to Congress Tuesday by the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Senate Democrats² are seeking an investigation³ into what occurred in the White House review of the report on global warming and public health. VOA's Leta Hong Fincher has more.

The prepared testimony by the Centers for Disease Control included many examples of how global warming is likely to cause major public health problems. It cited water and food-borne infectious diseases and heat related illnesses.

 

Many of the details in CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding's Senate testimony were deleted, though she did link global warming to health. She says, "Weather is inextricably linked to health. We see that in the kinds of weather events that occur every day. We see it seasonally⁴, with the relationship to influenza⁵. We see it over years in the consequence of things like El Nino. And I believe we'll see this on a much longer time frame in the context of our changing climate."

U.S. news media reports, quoting unnamed sources, said the Bush administration cut more than half of Dr. Gerberding's prepared Senate testimony --- from 14 pages down to six pages. White House officials removed statements such as the "CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern."

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says the testimony was cut because it did not match a recent report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. "We have experts and scientists across this administration that can take a look at that testimony and say, this is an error or this doesn't make sense."

One of the lead authors of the IPCC report says Dr. Gerberding's original testimony was scientifically accurate. Dr. Jonathan Patz is an environmental health professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He says, "I do not find any grounds that anything should have been excluded by the administration."

Dr. Gerberding said in a statement Wednesday that the editing did not change the underlying⁶ message of her testimony to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. But Senate Democrats, including Chairman Barbara Boxer⁷, wrote President Bush stating that the public has a right to know all of the facts about global warming and the threat it poses to their families and communities.

1 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

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 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

5 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

6 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

7 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。