2007年VOA标准英语-US Senate Panel Authorizes Subpoenas in Prosecu

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
22 March 2007

A U.S. Senate committee has followed the lead of its counterpart in the House of Representatives and authorized³ subpoenas⁵ to compel White House aides to testify in public and under oath about the dismissals of federal prosecutors⁶. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The Democratic-led Senate Judiciary Committee agreed by voice vote to authorize² subpoenas for President Bush's adviser⁸ Karl Rove, former White House lawyer Harriet Miers, and two deputy White House officials to compel sworn and public testimony⁹ about the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys.

 
Patrick Leahy (l) and Senator Edward Kennedy take part in a debate on whether to issue subpoenas to White House staffers in the dismissal of U.S. attorneys, 22 Mar¹ 2007
Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat⁷, is chairman of the committee.

LEAHY: "All those in favor say "aye".

SENATORS: "Aye"

LEAHY: "Opposed?"

SENATORS: "No"

LEAHY: "I would say the "ayes" have it, the "ayes" do have it. The subpoenas are authorized."

One Republican, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, asked that the committee record show that he voted with the majority to authorize the subpoenas.

Like the House Judiciary Committee action a day earlier, the Senate panel did not actually issue the subpoenas, to allow for the possibility that a deal could be reached with the White House to head off a constitutional confrontation¹⁰.

But there is no indication the White House is ready to compromise, with President Bush stating that his aides would be made available only for private interviews with a limited number of lawmakers and not under oath.

Chairman Leahy rejected the president's offer, despite pleas from the top Republican on the committee, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, to try to seek a compromise with the White House before considering subpoenas.

 
Senate Judiciary Committee members, Senator Arlen Specter (l) and Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy, 22 Mar 2007
In an exchange with Leahy, Specter argued that moving toward confrontation with the White House would only tie up the matter in courts for years.

SPECTER: "Question number one is, will this investigation¹¹ be best served by finding out what we can now as opposed to litigation which will take more than two years, and question number two, related to question number one: if we do not like what we get, we can always issue a subpoena⁴ and move with the subpoena if we do not like what we get? Why not take what we can get?"

LEAHY: "No. We are told what we can get is nothing, nothing, nothing! We are told we can have a closed-door meeting with no transcript¹², not under oath, a limited number of people, and the White House will determine what the agenda is. That to me is nothing."

Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, argued that the White House cannot dictate¹³ how Congress operates.

"The two branches of government are equal," she said. "If we do not use the power that we are given to get at facts that are important, we do not deserve to hold these positions. I do not believe we can get at those facts in a closed room, without a record, simply interviewing a selected number of witnesses."

But Senator Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican, said it is the Congress that is seeking to meddle¹⁴ in the affairs of the White House.

"We are dealing¹⁵ with an equal branch of government, and we are intruding¹⁶ into deliberations among the top advisers¹⁷ to that head of that branch of government," he said.

Kyl echoed President Bush's opposition¹⁸ to compelling White House officials to testify in public and under oath, saying it would have a "chilling effect" on the ability of future presidents to get candid¹⁹ advice from aides who may fear they will be forced to publicly testify about their private conversations.

Democratic critics say the attorney firings were politically motivated, and have called for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation over his handling of the matter.

President Bush has voiced his support for Gonzales.

Gonzales reiterated²⁰ that no attorney was dismissed for improper²¹ reasons, and said he remains²² committed to working with lawmakers in their investigation of the issue.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

3 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

4 subpoena   

n.（法律）传票；v.传讯

参考例句：

• He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
• Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。

5 subpoenas   

n.（传唤出庭的）传票( subpoena的名词复数 )v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
• Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网

6 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

7 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。

8 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

9 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。

10 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

11 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。

12 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

13 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

14 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

15 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

16 intruding   

v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于

参考例句：

• Does he find his new celebrity intruding on his private life? 他是否感觉到他最近的成名侵扰了他的私生活？
• After a few hours of fierce fighting,we saw the intruding bandits off. 经过几小时的激烈战斗，我们赶走了入侵的匪徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

18 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。

19 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

20 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

21 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

22 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。