美国国家公共电台 NPR--The Senate is expected to vote on a bill codifying Roe v. Wade into law

The Senate is expected to vote on a bill codifying¹ Roe² v. Wade³ into law

Transcript⁴

The Senate vote will largely be a symbolic⁵ move by Democrats⁷ to show support for abortion⁸ rights after a leaked draft showed the Supreme⁹ Court may overturn the ruling.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Today, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a bill that would, if it passed, make abortion protections part of federal law rather than relying on the Supreme Court. Here's Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PATTY MURRAY: When we vote on this bill, every single senator is going to have to go on the record as to whether they want to take their constituents¹⁰' rights away.

INSKEEP: Of course, everyone's waiting for a Supreme Court ruling on abortion. But even before the roll call, it's known this vote will fail because Democrats don't have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster¹¹. And there's even a question about whether they will have unanimous support within their own party. I spoke¹² earlier today with NPR congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell.

KELSEY SNELL, BYLINE¹³: That is, at this moment, still unclear. And as is often the case, we are watching Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Now, he has voted against abortion protections in the past, but he has avoided giving reporters any answer on this specific bill. Now, the legislation they're voting on would guarantee the right of women to obtain abortions¹⁴ and for providers to provide them without, as the bill calls them, medically unnecessary restrictions¹⁵. You know, a version of this bill did fail in February. And, you know, Democrats say they're trying again because they say this is different now. It is a live issue. This is not a theoretical question, as a result of that draft opinion.

Now, Manchin voted against the version of the bill that was on the floor in February. And there had been some hope among Democrats that they could pressure two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, to vote for this bill because Collins and Murkowski have supported abortion rights in the past. But that seems kind of unlikely at this point. You know, Collins and Murkowski have their own bill, and that does include some restrictions that Democrats reject.

INSKEEP: On the other side, would Republicans really pursue an abortion ban if they regained¹⁶ control of Congress?

SNELL: Well, you know, it kind of depends on who you ask. If you ask Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, he says that Republicans do not support getting rid of a filibuster, and no issue is exempt¹⁷ from that. Though, you know, he never explicitly¹⁸ said that they would never get rid of the filibuster to pass an abortion ban.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MITCH MCCONNELL: I think the sentiment in my conference is for this issue to be dealt with at the state level if we are, in fact, confronted with a final Supreme Court decision that throws this issue back into democratic processes.

SNELL: Now, that's a long way of - from saying that he would make that decision. He's basically saying that he wants the states to decide. He's also saying that both parties have held abortion votes in the past, and both parties have failed to get 60 votes when they've tried. But this is right now. Even if Republicans win control in November, President Biden would still be the president. And there's virtually no chance that Republicans would have enough votes to overcome a veto. So it's kind of a question that will be up for debate for many years to come.

INSKEEP: OK. Congressional stalemate, as on many, many issues, as a matter of fact. So what do Democrats, the people in control for the moment, plan to do next?

SNELL: There really isn't much that they can do. You know, some are promising¹⁹ a vote, and they want to keep voting and voting and voting to keep up the pressure. But, you know, that's not really a tactic²⁰ meant to change the votes inside of Congress. It's more of a defensive²¹ strategy and an attempt to show voters that Democrats are trying on an issue that's very important to voters. And it's not clear that voters actually think that's useful. Virtually every Senate Democrat⁶ I've spoken to - and that's dozens in the past week - says that they just need more Democrats in the Senate. So they plan on campaigning on it. But like you said, this is a tale Democrats are all too used to right now - police reform, voting rights, climate change. You know, all of these things are things that voters want and Democrats can't pass.

INSKEEP: NPR's Kelsey Snell, thanks as always.

SNELL: Thanks.

1 codifying   

v.把（法律）编成法典( codify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• For this reason, the disputations of codifying administrative procedures in domain are becoming more and more. 因此，有关行政程序法典化的各种争论在理论界也愈来愈多。 来自互联网

2 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

3 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

6 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。

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 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

12 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

14 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

15 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

16 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

17 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

18 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

19 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

20 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

21 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。