2007年VOA标准英语-US Senate Democrats Plan Around-the-Clock Debat

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
17 July 2007

U.S. Senate Democratic leaders are planning an around-the-clock debate on Iraq beginning Tuesday to try to pressure Republicans to vote for legislation calling for a withdrawal² of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by next April. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The Democratic-sponsored troop withdrawal measure calls for the pullout to begin within 120 days after passage and completed by April of next year. Some troops would remain in Iraq to train Iraqi forces and fight terrorism.

The House of Representatives passed similar legislation last week, but prospects³ for passage in the Senate appear dim.

Senate Republicans echo the White House position that setting a timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq would amount to surrendering to terrorists.

"To execute a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq now, regardless of the conditions on the battlefield, and regardless of the advice of our commanders in the field, is unthinkable," said Senator Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican. "It would be a stain on this Senate for years to come."

Harry4 Reid (r), followed by Sen. Charles Schumer, center, and Sen. Richard Durbin, arrives for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, 16 July 2007<br />" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070719/0840440.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (r), followed by Sen. Charles Schumer, center, and Sen. Richard Durbin, arrives for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, 16 July 2007

Republican opponents are vowing⁵ to block the measure from coming to a vote, prompting this response from the Senate's top Democrat¹, Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

"Republicans are more interested in protecting the president than our troops," he said.

Reid says more than 50 senators back the measure - enough to pass it on a simple majority vote in the 100-member chamber⁶.

But at least 60 votes are needed under Senate rules to overcome any effort to halt the legislation - a margin⁷ that continues to elude⁸ supporters.

Opponents say Senator Reid's plan to hold the Senate in session for an all-night session will not make them back down.

Besides the troop pullout legislation, the Senate is also debating a Republican-backed proposal calling on President Bush to send Congress plans to begin downsizing the U.S. combat troop presence in Iraq by the end of the year. Those plans are to be sent to Congress by mid-October.

The proposal, co-sponsored by influential⁹ Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia, also calls on the president to seek a new congressional war authorization¹⁰ for military operations in Iraq.

"I feel that in view of all that has transpired¹¹ in nearly five years - this will be five years since we passed it this October, it is the duty of Congress to review it," he said.

But many Democrats¹² believe that proposal does not go far enough because it does not require that troops be redeployed, but only that the president submit plans for their withdrawal.

"It is not enough to pass something that sounds good but does not move us toward ending the war," said Senator Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat.

The Iraq-related measures are being proposed as amendments¹³ to a defense¹⁴ policy bill.

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 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。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 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。

8 elude   

v.躲避，困惑

参考例句：

• If you chase it,it will elude you.如果你追逐着它， 它会躲避你。
• I had dared and baffled his fury.I must elude his sorrow.我曾经面对过他的愤怒，并且把它挫败了；现在我必须躲避他的悲哀。

9 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

10 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

11 transpired   

（事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生

参考例句：

• It transpired that the gang had had a contact inside the bank. 据报这伙歹徒在银行里有内应。
• It later transpired that he hadn't been telling the truth. 他当时没说真话，这在后来显露出来了。

12 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》

13 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。