VOA标准英语2009年-US Congress Heads Toward Final Votes on Economi

The U.S. Congress is on track for decisive votes on a $789 billion measure aimed at slowing the U.S. economic decline. The House of Representatives is to consider and vote on the bill Friday, with Senate action also expected.
　
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as the measure is called will be on the floor on Friday.

She says it will be a major step toward creating jobs and helping¹ halt the U.S. economic slide, while being accountable to taxpayers². "We make many votes in the Congress. They are all important. Some of them are historic. This one is historic and transformational," he said.

A summary released on Thursday shows $311 billion of the measure dedicated³ to infrastructure⁴, health, training, and energy projects, along with food stamp and other aid for poor and low income Americans, and tens of billions for the government Medicaid program.

The bill also includes tax cuts, although at a lower level than President Obama had wanted, credits for first-time homebuyers, and money for U.S. states facing sharp budget shortfalls.

But even as the bill makes it way to the House floor, Republican opponents continue their harsh attacks on its spending and tax provisions.

House Republican leader John Boehner. "We're very concerned that the $800 billion stimulus⁵ plan that we are about to pass here in the Congress won't work, and will do nothing more than put mountains of debt on the backs of our kids and grand kids," he said.

Republicans also complained that Democrats⁶ had not provided the usual 48 hours to review the full text of the bill, and asserted that an alternative they offered would create more jobs and be more effective for the economy.

With the House debate and vote set for Friday, the Senate will also take up the final bill, which is the outcome of a compromise in which three Senate Republicans joined Democrats in trimming the size of the measure.

Democrats have a sufficient majority in the House to assure passage. Boehner declined to predict whether any House Republicans will support the measure, after all of them voted against an initial bill passed last month.
　
President Barack Obama addresses employees at the Caterpillar⁷ plant in East Peoria, Illinois, 12 Feb 2009

President Obama told workers at a Caterpillar factory in Illinois that the plan is a crucial part of his administration's efforts to help the U.S. economy. "I believe it will be a major step forward on our path to economic recovery," he said.

Congressional passage of the economic bill would send it on to the president to be signed into law.

But President Obama plans additional trips across the country next week to both build support for steps he is taking for the economy and financial system and try to strengthen morale⁸ for Americans facing hardships.

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 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。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

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 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

6 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》

7 caterpillar   

n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫

参考例句：

• A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
• A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

8 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。