VOA常速英语2008年-US Lawmakers Step Up Pressure on Iraq to Pay So

By Deborah Tate
Washington
17 April 2008

A group of Democratic and Republican senators have begun drafting legislation that would require Iraq to fund more of the war costs that Americans are now paying. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

Three members of the Senate Armed Services Committee told a news conference Thursday that Iraq should begin paying some of the costs of the war and reconstruction² of the country.

They note that Iraq has a budget surplus as a result of the rising price of its oil exports, while the United States is grappling with budget deficits³ and other economic problems.

"It is time now for Iraq to assume responsibility for its future with its own investments. Real investment in its own infrastructure⁴ and national security. The American public is growing weary of financing every aspect of Iraq's future, from combat operations to electricity grids⁵ and highways," said Senator Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat¹.

"The blank check written by the American taxpayers⁶ to the government of Iraq must stop," said Senator Evan Bayh, an Indiana Democrat.

The senators are considering attaching the legislation to a war-funding bill expected to be debated by Congress in the coming weeks. The bill calls for more than $100 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, says she and the other senators are working with the Defense⁷ and State Departments to identify costs that could be paid by the Iraqis. "I do not believe that it is unfair in any way to ask the Iraqi people to begin shouldering more of the costs of rebuilding their own country."

The lawmakers suggested the cost of some of the weapons, the training of Iraqi troops, and the salaries of security forces known as Sons of Iraq, could be among those paid by Iraqis, either directly or through loans.

At a Senate hearing Wednesday, White House Budget Director Jim Nussle said the Bush administration would be open to considering having Iraqis pay more of the war costs.

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 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

3 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

6 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

7 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。