VOA标准英语2009年-Bipartisan US Congressional Panel Warns of

By Cindy Saine
Capitol Hill
22 September 2009

 
Senators Joseph Lieberman (r) and Susan Collins prior to start of committee's hearing on Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009, on Capitol Hill, 22 Sep 2009 
Two U.S. senators are citing a report by a bipartisan panel that warns of the threat of a terrorist attack with weapons of mass destruction. Senators Joseph Lieberman and Susan Collins say a biological attack is more likely than a nuclear or chemical attack, and are pushing new legislation to boost the country's readiness for such a strike.

Senator Joseph Lieberman is an Independent Democrat¹ from Connecticut, and is chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He commented on the sober conclusions of a congressionally-mandated commission created to study changes to national security policy in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

"A WMD attack is probable somewhere in the world in the next four years, and it is more likely to be biological than nuclear," he said.

Senator Lieberman and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine have introduced legislation that would enact² the commission's recommendations and establish what he called a "comprehensive framework" to protect the country from attacks using weapons of mass destruction.

Lieberman warned that the United State's margin³ of safety is shrinking and not growing, and said the bill, the Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009, is the best way to ensure that the lives lost in the 2001 attack were not in vain.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine pointed⁴ out that the threat of a biological attack definitely begins at home.

"Some of the world's most dangerous pathogens are not secure," she said. "And that includes pathogens housed in bio-labs right here in the United States."

The new legislation would require labs working with deadly pathogens to increase security.  Gregory Kutz of the Government Accountability Office says this is essential because of gaping⁵ holes in perimeter⁶ security in two of the nation's five labs that work with the most dangerous pathogens.

"First we found significant differences in perimeter security at the nation's five level-four labs," he said. "These labs handle the world's most dangerous agents and toxins⁷ that cause incurable⁸ and deadly disease."

The legislation also provides that police and firefighters would receive medical kits⁹ so that they could quickly respond to terrorist attacks, while protecting themselves and their families.

Tuesday's hearings on Capitol Hill came as Homeland Security and FBI officials issued security bulletins to police across the U.S. about terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels. Counterterrorism officials say there is no information on timing¹⁰ or locations. Law enforcement officials also say a man arrested in Colorado Saturday may have been planning with others to detonate backpack bombs on New York City trains in a terrorism plot similar to past attacks in London and Madrid.

1 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。

2 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

3 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 gaping   

adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大

参考例句：

• Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

7 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 incurable   

adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人

参考例句：

• All three babies were born with an incurable heart condition.三个婴儿都有不可治瘉的先天性心脏病。
• He has an incurable and widespread nepotism.他们有不可救药的，到处蔓延的裙带主义。

9 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

10 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。