美国国家公共电台 NPR--This bipartisan gun safety proposal can save lives, Sen. Blumenthal says

This bipartisan gun safety proposal can save lives, Sen. Blumenthal says

Transcript¹

A bipartisan group of senators has reached a deal on new gun control measures. NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a Democrat² involved in the negotiations³.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

A bipartisan group of senators has announced a deal on a set of gun safety proposals that has the support of 10 Republicans. This is, of course, the critical number needed to get any major bill through the 50-50 Democratic-controlled Senate. The bill still has to be written, but President Biden praised the early agreement as an important step in the right direction. The deal does not include an assault weapons ban. An 18-year-old can still buy an assault weapon. And there's still no agreement on universal background checks. We turn now to one of the lawmakers involved in these negotiations, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Thank you so much for being here, Senator.

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL: Thank you very much for having me. Good to be with you.

MARTIN: You have been in these bipartisan talks over the past few weeks. What are your Republican colleagues telling you about why they might be ready to support even this narrow set of gun proposals in this moment?

BLUMENTHAL: My Republican colleagues are telling me that they're hearing exactly what I'm hearing, which is the American people outraged⁴ and absolutely demanding that we do something. And fortunately, this proposal, while it is far from what I would have liked, actually can save lives. And I think the American people want something that is real and meaningful. And my Republican colleagues are responding to that cry that they're hearing and seeing every day.

MARTIN: We spoke⁵ with you a few weeks ago specifically about your efforts on red-flag laws. A reminder⁶ - these are the laws in some states that allow authorities to seize guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. So this new compromise bipartisan plan would give, as I understand it, funding to states who agree to pass these kinds of laws. What about states that just choose not to accept those incentives⁷?

BLUMENTHAL: My hope is that the substantial - and I do mean very significant amounts of money - grants that will be provided to states will encourage them to adopt these red-flag laws, just as 19 states have already done. And the proof in these states, 9,000 cases in full, is that they actually do save lives because they separate people from guns when they say they're going to kill someone, whether themselves or someone else. And so I'm very proud that this red-flag crisis intervention⁸ order proposal is really - at the core, is helping⁹ to drive this proposal forward and that other measures to stop access to guns in the first place by people who are dangerous, such as improving the background checks, will be coupled with it.

MARTIN: We heard Susan Davis earlier talk about the fact that this is a far more narrow set of proposals than your colleagues in the House passed. Are you prepared to face criticism that it doesn't go far enough, not just from House Progressives but also from someone like Sandy Phillips? Her child was killed in the 2012 shooting at a theater in Aurora¹⁰, Colo. And she tweeted yesterday, quote, "Not enough. Baby steps kill babies."

BLUMENTHAL: It is not enough. And my hope was that we could go farther, for example, to increase the age required to purchase assault weapons or ban assault weapon sales, high-capacity magazine sales, ghost guns impose a safe storage measure, Ethan's Law, such as we have here in Connecticut, and also even a background check on ammunition¹¹ sales, Jamie's Law.

MARTIN: Did you bring these things up in these negotiations, and they were just nonstarters?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, I think those were proposals that would've blocked us from getting the 60 votes. As it is, one of the most significant aspects of this framework is that we have 10 Republicans, which means we could get the 60 votes. But Susan's report emphasized a very important point. We still need to write the legislation. I'm beginning today with colleagues on the red-flag statutes¹² and other measures. And here, the details will be tremendously important. But getting to 60 votes - no mean feat¹³ in a evenly divided Senate. So much as we would've preferred to go further, we need to begin this thousand-mile journey with a few single important steps.

MARTIN: As you know, there have been other bipartisan efforts to write legislation in the Biden administration. And you think you got it, and then it sort of falls apart in the nuts and bolts of writing the bill. Are you concerned that this might not get over the finish line?

BLUMENTHAL: I am always concerned as we begin to write the details of legislation that an evenly divided Senate will prevent progress. But we have a lot of momentum¹⁴ going. I'm very clear-eyed about the past history of gun violence prevention efforts. I've been involved in many of them for the past three decades. But this framework of principles and proposals is a 30-year breakthrough in attracting a significant number of Republicans and Democrats¹⁵ together. It's broad, bipartisan. So momentum is on our side.

MARTIN: As we've noted¹⁶, you've got 10 Republicans agreeing to the broad outlines. At the very least, you have to keep them, right? But are you planning to make efforts to broaden your coalition¹⁷ with more GOP support to make sure that it gets through?

BLUMENTHAL: Very, very important point. Yes, we are seeking to broaden the number of both Republicans and Democrats and actually preserve many of these proposals as we write them and perhaps include others. But the point is that we have a core critical mass of political support here that is responding to the clear will of the American people. And 90% of the American people want these kind of bipartisan, commonsense¹⁸ proposals. And as we tackle the difficult task of putting it into real language, we should keep in mind the support of the American people.

MARTIN: Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of the state of Connecticut. We appreciate your time as always, Senator. Thank you very much.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

5 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。

6 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

7 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

11 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

12 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

13 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

14 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

15 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》

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

18 commonsense   

adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的

参考例句：

• It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
• These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。