VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Signs Economic Stimulus Bill into Law

U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday the biggest economic stimulus¹ plan in the nation's history. The almost $800 billion in government spending and tax cuts is designed to get America's economy back on track.
　
President Barack Obama signs the economic stimulus bill into law in Denver, Colorado, 17 Feb 2009

Less than a month after taking office, President Obama signed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act - the cornerstone of his effort to reverse the U.S economic recession.

"I do not want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems nor does it constitute all of what we are going to have to do to turn our economy around," said President Obama. "But today does mark the beginning of the end."

Mr. Obama took the unusual step of holding the bill-signing ceremony outside of Washington, in the Western city of Denver, Colorado. Denver hosted the 2008 Democratic National Convention, at which Mr. Obama received his party's presidential nomination². The majority of Colorado voters supported Mr. Obama in the November election, after several elections in which Republicans won the state.

Colorado also has a reputation for supporting businesses that produce and support so-called "clean energy".

Before President Obama signed the legislation, Blake Jones, the president of the Colorado-based Namaste Solar company, which makes solar energy equipment, said the stimulus plan will help his company and many others.

"Our trade association - the Solar Energy Industries Association - estimates that as a direct result of this stimulus bill, U.S. solar companies will create 69,000 good-paying jobs this year, and almost double that number over the next two years," said Blake Jones.

Overall, the Obama administration says the plan will create or save millions of jobs, cut taxes for 95 percent of working Americans and inject new money into efforts to reform education, health care, and rebuild infrastructure³.

"Now what makes this recovery plan so important is not just that it will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including 60,000-plus here in Colorado," said Mr. Obama. "It is that we are putting Americans to work, doing the work that America needs done."

The economic stimulus plan passed both houses of Congress, with all majority Democrats⁴ supporting the measure and nearly all Republicans voting against it. Many minority-party lawmakers warn the plan is too costly⁵ and wasteful⁶, and will not work.

On Wednesday, Mr. Obama will visit the Southwestern state of Arizona to introduce a program to help millions of homeowners avoid mortgage foreclosures. Many economists⁷ point out that the U.S. financial crisis began with bad loans in the home mortgage industry.

1 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。

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 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。

4 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》

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 wasteful   

adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的

参考例句：

• It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
• Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

7 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》