VOA标准英语2013--美国国会议员寻求监测改革

 

US Lawmakers Seek Surveillance Reform 美国国会议员寻求监测改革

U.S. senators in both parties are proposing changes in the way the National Security Agency collects information as it hunts for terrorists and other threats. Some lawmakers want to limit or end the bulk collection of telephone and email records.

The recent siege at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, is reason for the National Security Agency to continue its information-gathering¹ activities, according to the NSA's director.

At a cybersecurity seminar in Washington, General Keith Alexander said his agency needs the tools to prevent such attacks on the United States.

"If you take those away, think about the last week, and what will happen in the future.  My concern is, if you think it is bad now, we get several things that happened in Nairobi in this country, and we have a whole different ball game.  And we will have failed," said Alexander.

Since former NSA contractor² Edward Snowden revealed this year that the NSA has been gathering phone and email records of Americans as well as people overseas, there have been objections at home and abroad.

Members of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee are working on legislation that would either limit the practice or eliminate it.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden wants to end the massive collection of phone and email records.

"Dozens of misleading public statements made by top intelligence officials have now damaged the credibility of the leadership in the intelligence community at home and abroad.  Foreign governments and their citizens are finding their trust in the government to be compromised.  This is not a small hiccup," said Wyden.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff canceled a state visit to the White House over the issue.  She criticized the U.S. in a speech before the United Nations General Assembly.

"The safety of a citizen of one country should not be guaranteed by the violation³ of human and civil rights which are fundamental to citizens of another country," said Rousseff.

But General Alexander says many Americans who oppose the NSA's collection of phone and email records are being misled by inaccurate⁴ reports in the media.  

At the cybersecurity seminar, he said the NSA is not collecting content from the phone calls or emails it monitors.

He also said U.S. allies appreciate the data gathering because it also protects their countries from terror attacks.

"Many people have asked me, how has this impacted your relationship with allies? Here is what I get: 'Keep working with us," he said. "The intelligence you get us to defend our country is what we really need.'"

The Senate committee's chairman, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, says the NSA should continue gathering phone and email records.  She favors a less restrictive bill that would bar the NSA from collecting the content of phone calls and email messages.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

3 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

4 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。