VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Says Republicans Holding Unemplo

President Obama makes a statement to the press in the White House Rose Garden, beside him are unemployed¹ workers Denise Gibson, Jim Chukalas, and Leslie Macko, 19 July 2010

President Barack Obama is urging the U.S. Senate to act this week on extending benefits for 2.5 million unemployed Americans.  Mr. Obama says Americans without jobs are being held "hostage" by Senate Republicans who have blocked legislation to extend unemployment insurance that expired in June.

 Three times in recent weeks, Republicans have used parliamentary tactics in the Senate to block the extension of benefits, angering the president at a time when he is trying to move this and other legislation through Congress before the congressional recess².

The White House has declared the unemployment bill an emergency measure, meaning it does not have to be offset³ by spending cuts in other areas of the federal budget.

Republicans have taken aim at that, as they continue to attack Mr. Obama on several fronts and challenge the White House over deficit⁴ spending and rising debt.

Addressing media in the White House Rose Garden, the president said Republicans who had for years supported policies that turned big surpluses into deficits⁵ had no place blocking aid for Americans desperately⁶ searching for work.

"It is time to stop holding workers laid off in this recession hostage to Washington politics," he said. "It is time to do what is right, not for the next election, but for the middle class."

Joining the president at the podium were three unemployed Americans - a former auto⁷ dealership⁸ parts manager, a former fitness center employee and a former real estate agent - whose government support has run out or is about to expire.

Mr. Obama said maneuvering⁹ by Senate Republicans to block extension of unemployment benefits demonstrates, what he called, a lack of faith in the American people.  He described as mis-guided the notion that emergency relief would discourage people from looking for jobs. 

The president's appearance was a final opportunity to fire back at Republicans on the issue before an expected Tuesday vote in which majority Senate Democrats¹⁰ are expected to be able to break the Republican roadblock.

House of Representatives Republican leader John Boehner said Republicans support extending unemployment benefits by cutting spending elsewhere.  He accused Mr. Obama of offering "disingenuous¹¹ attacks" rather than answers on job growth.

Later this week, Mr. Obama will be able to point to another legislative¹² accomplishment¹³ when he signs sweeping¹⁴ financial-system regulatory reform legislation he has battled for since coming to office.

Financial reform, with the unemployment extension and another measure to provide small business tax benefits, are the three major legislative objectives the president and Democratic leaders agreed to focus on before the long summer recess.

The entire legislative schedule is even more compressed as lawmakers and the White House increasingly turn their focus to the November mid-term congressional elections.

President Obama will be hitting the road frequently to campaign for his party's candidates in a number of states important to Democrat's hope of retaining control of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

 

1 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

2 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。

3 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

4 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。

5 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。

9 maneuvering   

v.移动，用策略( maneuver的现在分词 )；操纵

参考例句：

• This Manstein did, with some brilliant maneuvering under the worse winter conditions. 曼施坦因在最恶劣的严冬条件下，出色地施展了灵活机动的战术，终于完成了任务。 来自辞典例句
• In short, large goals required farsighted policies, not tactical maneuvering. 一句话，大的目标需要有高瞻远瞩的政策，玩弄策略是不行的。 来自辞典例句

10 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》

11 disingenuous   

adj.不诚恳的，虚伪的

参考例句：

• It is disingenuous of him to flatter me.他对我阿谀奉承，是居心叵测。
• His brother Shura with staring disingenuous eyes was plotting to master the world.他那长着一对狡诈眼睛的哥哥瑞拉，处心积虑图谋征服整个世界。

12 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

13 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

14 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？