VOA标准英语2009年-Senate Panel Votes to Confirm Bernanke

The Senate Banking¹ Committee has voted to approve the nomination² of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term as head of the U.S. central bank. The move paves the way for a vote by the full Senate in January.

Cindy Saine | Capitol Hill 17 December 2009

 
Photo: AP
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Banking Committee hearing on his renomination, 03 Dec 2009

The Senate Banking Committee has voted to approve the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term as head of the U.S. central bank.  The move paves the way for a vote by the full Senate in January.  But the committee approval came after two hours of contentious³ debate, and the committee's ranking Republican was among those voting against Bernanke.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has cleared a major hurdle⁴ in his bid to win a second four-year term.  But Thursday's Senate Banking Committee executive meeting turned out to be a roller-coast ride for Bernanke, who was not present, but was subjected to alternating sessions of praise and stinging criticism.

The top-ranking Republican on the committee, Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, said he would vote against Bernanke, saying the 2008 financial crisis was years in the making, and that Bernanke bears part of the responsibility because he was a member of the Federal Reserve at that time.

"I strongly disapprove⁵ of some of the past deeds of the Federal Reserve while Ben Bernanke was a member and its chairman, and I lack confidence in what little planning for the future he has articulated," he said.

Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky mocked Bernanke's naming on Wednesday by Time Magazine as "Person of the Year".  The magazine credited Bernanke with saving the United States from a second Great Depression.

"One financial blogger wrote yesterday that this was like rewarding the captain of the Titanic⁶ for getting everyone off the sinking ship after he rammed⁷ it into the iceberg," said Bunning.

The only Democrat⁸ to vote against Bernanke, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, also blamed Bernanke for failing to recognize the dangers of the housing bubble and other signs of trouble.

"Dr. Bernanke's approach helped set our economic house on fire," he said. "That fire has destroyed the jobs, the health care, the retirement⁹ savings¹⁰ of millions of Americans and working families.  Since then, Dr. Bernanke has shown himself to be quite adroit¹¹ with the fire-hose."

 
AP
Sen. Christopher Dodd, left standing¹², talks with Sen Bob Corker, right standing, during a Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs executive session to vote on the reappointment of Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., 17 Dec 2009

Banking Committee Chairman, Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd, gave Bernanke credit for stepping up and taking quick and decisive action to pull the United States back from the brink¹³ of economic collapse¹⁴.

"The Federal Reserve took extraordinary actions to arrest this crisis and prevent utter economic catastrophe," he said.  "And I believe nothing short of that was at risk in the absence of those actions."

Republican Senator Bob Corker conceded that Bernanke has made mistakes, but said he has learned from them.

"Do I think that there is anybody, anybody in this country that has been tested more, and has the ability to be Chairman of the Fed right now than Chairman Bernanke, I don't think so," he said.

Committee Chairman Dodd rejected attempts by several Republican senators to delay the banking committee's vote on the nomination until early next year.  Dodd said the panel needed to vote because Bernanke's first term expires January 31, and the committee has to clear the nomination before Senate Majority Leader Harry¹⁵ Reid can bring the issue to the full Senate for consideration when senators return in January after a planned holiday recess¹⁶.  Analysts¹⁷ say Bernanke is likely to win Senate confirmation¹⁸, but the whole process may be another rough ride.
 

1 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。

2 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

3 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

4 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

5 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

6 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

7 rammed   

v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
• I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

11 adroit   

adj.熟练的，灵巧的

参考例句：

• Jamie was adroit at flattering others.杰米很会拍马屁。
• His adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers.他对质问者的机敏应答使他赢得了很多追随者。

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

14 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

15 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。

16 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

17 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

18 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。