VOA标准英语2009年-US Lawmakers Approve Sanctions Measure

US lawmakers have criticized Iran's government for continuing its uranium enrichment program as House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that, if passed by full Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, would expand existing sanctions targeting Iran's refined petroleum¹ infrastructure².

Dan Robinson | Capitol Hill 16 December 2009

US Capitol, Washington., DC (File)

International Community Looks at Options to Stop Iran From Producing Nuclear Weapons
"With this legislation today we strengthen the president's hand to use or to withhold⁴ this particular sanction, but to have the capability⁵ to use diplomacy⁶ in a stronger way."

The Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act has enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support.  This has intensified⁷ as the Obama administration's outreach to Iran has been rebuffed and Tehran has defied international demands by expanding its nuclear enrichment program.

Approved in the House by a vote of 412 to 12, the measure targets Iran's dependence⁸ on imported gasoline.  It stiffens⁹ penalties for companies involved in supplying Iran with as much as 40 percent of its refined petroleum needs by denying them access to U.S markets.

Howard Berman, Democratic Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said Congress is forced to act because Iran has responded to President Obama's outstretched hand with a "clenched¹¹ fist."

"I believe that passage and implementation¹² of this act would have a powerful effect on the Iranian economy.  And I believe it would force unpalatable budgetary choices on the Iranian regime, vastly increasing the domestic political cost of pursuing its nuclear program," he said.

Iranian technicians work with foreign colleagues at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, just outside the southern port city of Bushehr (File)

Concern about Iran's nuclear program, which the United States and other governments say is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, was intensified by Iran's announcement that it would build 10 more nuclear plants and construct thousands of additional centrifuges to process uranium.  Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Lawmakers referred to a report Tuesday in The Washington Post newspaper, saying that Western and United Nations officials are analyzing¹³ an Iranian technical document that appears to show Iranian scientists evaluating or testing a component¹⁴ crucial to detonating a nuclear warhead.

Tuesday's debate found Democrats¹⁵ and Republicans supporting the bill, while opponents asserted that sanctions would be ineffective and harm President Obama's ongoing¹⁶ diplomatic efforts with Iran.

Speaker of the House Democrat¹⁰ Nancy Pelosi said the legislation and the waiver authority it contains, would strengthen President Obama's diplomatic hand, while Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen stressed the threat an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose.

PELOSI:  "With this legislation today we strengthen the president's hand to use or to withhold this particular sanction, but to have the capability to use diplomacy in a stronger way."
LEHTINEN:  "Iran has manipulated nations, world leaders and the United Nations on its march toward possessing the capacity to unleash¹⁷ nuclear havoc¹⁸ on the world."

Representatives Dennis Kucinich and Stephen Lynch were among the nine Democrats and three Republicans who voted against the measure.

KUCINICH:  "This legislation obstructs¹⁹ the Obama administration's ongoing negotiations²⁰ with Iran, amounts to economic warfare²¹ against the Iranian people, and brings us closer to an unnecessary military confrontation²²."
LYNCH:  "This bill will help [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad.  This will have the same effect that we have seen with other embargos and sanctions."

Representative Mark Kirk, a Republican and co-sponsor of the first gasoline sanction proposals in 2005, disagreed saying the measure would be effective.

"A restriction²³ of gasoline deliveries to Iran, administered through multilateral sanctions and enforced by the world's most powerful navies, will pit our greatest strength against Iran's greatest weakness -- all without a shot being fired," he said.

Approval of the House version comes amid questions of whether the U.S. Senate will act on a similar measure it has before the end of the year.

Last week, the State Department voiced concern that the Senate bill in its current form "might weaken rather than strengthen international unity³ and support" for U.S efforts on Iran.  Negotiations are continuing.

Looking ahead to the task of reconciling the House and Senate bills, Representive Berman said he remains²⁴ open to adjustments that would encourage other nations to support a strong regime of multilateral sanctions against Iran, including the possibility of exempting²⁵ companies whose host nations are already enforcing robust²⁶ sanctions in their national laws.

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

5 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

6 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。

7 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

9 stiffens   

（使）变硬，（使）强硬( stiffen的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Heating the foam stiffens it and forms it. 暖气泡沫stiffens它和形式。
• He stiffens in momentary panic. 他心里一阵惊慌，浑身不自在起来。

10 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。

11 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

13 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

14 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

15 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》

16 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

17 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

18 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

19 obstructs   

阻塞( obstruct的第三人称单数 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• The cirrhotic process obstructs the intrahepatic portion of the portal venous system. 肝硬化使门脉系统的肝内部分受阻。
• A device or means that obstructs, blocks, or plugs up. 堵塞的方法：阻碍，阻挠或堵塞的工具或途径。

20 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。

21 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

22 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。

23 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

24 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。

25 exempting   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• EPA adopted regulations exempting discharges from agricultural activities, with certain exceptions for relatively major pollution sources. 环境保护局采用管制规章，禁止源自农业活动的各种排放，对于一些相关的大型污染源也有例外。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

26 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。