VOA标准英语2009年-Lawmakers Give Mixed Reaction on Obama Hea

President Barack Obama's address Wednesday night to a joint¹ session of the U.S. Congress on the issue of health care reform is drawing reaction from U.S. lawmakers. The president used strong language to clarify what reform proposals would do, pledged to continue seeking bipartisan support, but said the time for playing politics with health care has ended.
　
President Barack Obama addresses Congress, 9 Sep 2009

President Obama said the current system has led the country to a breaking point, imposing² hardships on middle-class Americans who struggle to pay for health care, who are unable to obtain it.

Saying the United States is the only advanced democracy and only wealthy nation that allows such hardships for millions of its people, the president said the time has come to put politics aside and solve the problem.

"The time for bickering³ is over," President Obama said. "The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care."

The president said reform proposals which he estimates would cost $900 billion over 10 years, would provide security and stability to the insured, and make it possible for tens of millions of Americans who are not to get affordable⁴ insurance through a proposed exchange system in which private companies would compete.

He also repeated pledges that health care reform can be achieved without adding to the federal deficit⁵, saying savings⁶ will be achieved by eliminating hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and abuse.

Democrats⁷ trying to steer⁸ reform through Congress against a nearly solid wall of Republican opposition⁹ said the president delivered a clear vision and specifics, and a strong message of leadership.

While praising the president's eloquence¹⁰, Republicans asserted that he failed to deliver specifics, and re-stated criticisms that Democratic proposals would impose new tax burdens on Americans and small businesses and add to deficit spending.
　
Rep. Charles Boustany, (R-La) rehearses Republican response to President Barack Obama's speech 9 Sep 2009

Republican Charles Boustany, who is also a physician, delivered the formal Republican response.

"It is clear. The American people want health care reform, but they want their elected leaders to get it right," Boustany said. "Most Americans wanted to hear [the] president tell Speaker Pelosi, [Senate] Majority Leader Reid, and the rest of the Congress that it is time to start over on a common sense, bipartisan plan focused on lowering the cost of health care while improving quality."

Virginia Republican Eric Cantor asserted that the president failed to offer sufficient specifics or offer reform proposals that Americans are comfortable with.

President Obama said a government-run insurance option as an alternative to private insurers is one part of Democrat's health care proposal, adding he is willing to address legitimate¹¹ concerns Republicans have.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called a strong public option "essential" for any bill to pass in the House. A 218 vote majority would be required but Democrats have faced concerns from moderates and conservatives within their own party.

A statement from fiscally-conservative Democrats who forced changes in House legislation said they are committed to meaningful reform, but reiterated¹² concern that legislation not add to the federal deficit and control health costs in the long-term.

So far, three House committees have approved versions of health care reform, which would be melded together into a single bill. One Senate committee has done so.

Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus announced plans Wednesday to begin moving another version toward a vote in that panel, saying he will go forward with or without Republican support.

"My door is open but irrespective of whether or not any Republicans [join in a bipartisan effort], and I do think there will be [some], I am going to move forward anyway," he said.

Addressing opposition, President Obama referred to what he called scare tactics rather than honest debate, and wild claims by Republicans that reform plans would lead to a government takeover of health care.

President Obama said he will continue to seek common ground and listen to serious proposals, but made clear he will have little patience for continuing distortions.

"Know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to approve it," the president said. "I won't stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now."

At the same time, the president said that rather than a radical¹³ shift that would disrupt health care Americans now have, he favors building on what works and fixing what doesn't.

Among those invited by the president to hear the speech in person were a number of Americans who the White House said would benefit from Democratic-sponsored reform legislation, including persons struggling to pay medical bills or denied coverage¹⁴ under the current insurance system.

Also present was Vicki Kennedy, the wife of the late Senator Edward Kennedy who fought for health care reform for decades before he passed away from brain cancer in August.

President Obama said Senator Kennedy considered health care reform a moral issue, and suggested that his concern and regard for the plight¹⁵ of others should spur bipartisan cooperation in finally achieving reform.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

3 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 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。

7 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》

8 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 eloquence   

n.雄辩；口才，修辞

参考例句：

• I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
• The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

12 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

13 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

14 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

15 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。