VOA标准英语2015--美国参议院走到了伊朗核问题的十字路口

US Senate at Crossroads on Iran Nuclear Bill 美国参议院走到了伊朗核问题的十字路口

WASHINGTON—

This week could decide the fate of a bipartisan bill allowing the U.S. Congress to review and vote on any final nuclear accord with Iran.  The Senate can either vote on the original bill, or allow amendments¹ making additional demands of Iran, which would trigger a presidential veto and could doom² the entire legislative³ effort.

If enacted⁴ in its current form, the bill would freeze U.S. sanctions relief on Iran for 30 days while Congress reviews a final nuclear pact⁵ with Tehran.  It has the strong backing of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"These sanctions are a big reason why America was able to bring Iran to the (negotiating) table in the first place.  We should not be giving up that leverage⁶ now without the American people, through members of Congress they elect, having a chance to weigh in.  Quite simple," he said.

But some of the very Republicans McConnell leads are putting him in a tough position. They are trying to force votes on amendments on side issues to the nuclear talks, like compelling Tehran to recognize Israel's right to exist.  

The so-called "poison pill" amendments could derail the bill, but Senator Tom Cotton is unapologetic.

"We need to vote.  If you do not want to vote, you should not have come to the Senate.  If you are in the Senate and you do not want to vote, you should leave." Cotton added "We are talking about a nuclear-armed Iran, the most dangerous threat to our national security."

The authors of the bipartisan bill to give Congress major oversight⁷ role in a potential deal to limit Iran's nuclear program, Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin, have pleaded for restraint.  

Republican Corker is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which unanimously approved the bill last month.  Cardin, the committee's top Democrat⁸ said "this is an extremely important issue.  It has got to rise above our individual desires so that, collectively, we can achieve something for the American people."

President Barack Obama says the chance to verifiably limit Iran's nuclear ambitions must not be squandered⁹ by airing the United States' many grievances¹⁰ with Tehran.  

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. does not anticipate that the negotiations¹¹ will resolve the long list of concerns Washington has with Iranian behavior."We know that it would be even more difficult to resolve our concerns about Iran's destabilizing activities if Iran had a nuclear weapon," he added.

McConnell can either allow votes on polarizing amendments, or move to end floor debate and bring the unaltered bill up for a final vote.

Iran and the group that includes the U.S., Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany have set a June 30 deadline for finalizing¹² a deal after agreeing to a framework earlier this month.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif met last week in New York for private talks.  Before the meeting, Kerry told a U.N. conference on nuclear non-proliferation that a deal would make the world safer.

In exchange for curtailing¹³ its nuclear activity, Iran would get relief from sanctions that have hurt its economy.  Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful with a focus on uses such as power generation and medical research, not trying to build bombs.

1 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

2 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

3 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。

4 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

6 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

7 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

8 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。

9 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

10 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

13 curtailing   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They will be curtailing the discussions at two thirty. 他们将把讨论缩短至两点半。 来自互联网
• Individually, banks are acting rationally by retaining their capital and curtailing lending. 此外，银行们正在合理地保留其资本和减少贷款。 来自互联网