VOA标准英语2009年-US House Approves Divestment In Iran

By Dan Robinson
Washington
14 October 2009

The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday approved legislation that would make it easier for U.S. states and local governments and pension funds to end investments in companies helping¹ Iran's energy sector².  The vote on the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act was 414 to 6.

Under the bill, U.S. state and local governments would acquire new legal authorities that would make it easier to divest³ from companies investing more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector.

Like other Iran-related legislation, the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act has broad support from Democrats⁵ and Republicans who favor maintaining pressure even as the Obama administration and other nations continue talks with Iran over its nuclear program.

 
Rep. Barney Frank 
The House Financial Services Committee chairman, Democrat⁴ Barney Frank, said while he is somewhat encouraged by what appears to be some progress in negotiations⁶ with Iran, the legislation is necessary to empower Americans to decide how and where their money is invested.

"Part of this bill today protects those states which have made the decisions by their own democratic processes, from having the federal government come in and say, no we're the federal government, we're in charge of foreign policy and you must continue to invest in Iran. Secondly⁷, we have had a movement of citizens that say to various investment vehicles, we do not want our money invested in Iran," he said.

While the legislation itself does not impose sanctions, it extends legal protections to shield state and local governments, and investment fund managers, from civil or criminal lawsuits⁸ in response to divestment decisions.

In particular, the measure states a sense of Congress supporting decisions by employee pension plans to divest from or avoid investing assets in persons or companies with more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector.

Erik Paulsen, a Minnesota Republican, referred to the revelation in September of Iran's second uranium enrichment site, and asserted that the legislation would help persuade Iran that it must respond to international concerns about its nuclear program. "The Iranian government will be more responsive if the U.S. can isolate⁹ the regime and apply some distinct pressure that will help force Tehran to deliver on its commitments and not merely to do what it has done in the past, and that is [to] use negotiations to merely run out the clock," he said.

Similar legislation sponsored by Republican Senator Sam Brownback and Democrat Bob Casey is pending¹⁰ in the U.S. Senate where it has 34 co-sponsors.

One Democrat, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich, argued that the measure would harm efforts to have Iran respond to global concerns. "With signs of progress in these highly-sensitive talks we are proposing to set the stage to punish Iran. I think we should be doing everything we can to ensure that diplomacy¹¹ and that President Obama's efforts here, succeed," he said.

The act was approved by the House of Representatives during the Bush administration, but was blocked in the U.S. Senate.

Also pending in Congress is the Iran Refined Petroleum¹² Sanctions Act, which is backed by more than 327 House members, and 75 U.S. senators.

That measure would, among other things, expand existing U.S. sanctions, effectively prohibiting any non-U.S. company selling, or enabling the sale or transport of refined petroleum products to Iran, from doing business in the United States.

House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman has said the revelation of Iran's second uranium enrichment facility reinforced his determination to move that legislation forward.

Senate Banking¹³ Committee chairman Christopher Dodd, a Democrat, has said he is readying comprehensive legislation that would merge¹⁴ all major sanctions measures into one bill that chamber¹⁵ would consider.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 divest   

v.脱去，剥除

参考例句：

• I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
• He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

4 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。

5 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》

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

8 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

9 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

10 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

11 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

12 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

13 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

14 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

15 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。