美国国家公共电台 NPR--Debt ceiling legislation clears a hurdle and moves to House floor for a vote

Debt ceiling legislation clears a hurdle¹ and moves to House floor for a vote

The House of Representatives is on track to vote today on the deal to suspend the nation's debt limit.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Yeah. But several ultraconservative and progressive lawmakers are unhappy with the compromise bill. Supporters, though, argue the deal is necessary to avoid a catastrophic debt default.

MART?NEZ: Here's NPR's congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Is this bill passing today?

DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE²: So Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his allies have repeatedly said they're confident it will pass tonight. This deal is similar to ones that we have seen before in divided government. It has modest spending reforms in exchange for increasing the debt ceiling. The debt limit is raised for two years, past the 2024 presidential election. In terms of the spending cuts, the speaker and President Biden negotiated. They agreed not to include Social Security and Medicare as part of the talks and to protect defense³ programs. So McCarthy said yesterday that limited what this deal could address.

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KEVIN MCCARTHY: We couldn't get everything we wanted. And when we have this debate, you couldn't talk about the whole budget. So in essence, we are only able to focus on about 11% of the budget.

WALSH: And the speaker keeps saying it's going to take votes from both parties to pass it tonight.

MART?NEZ: All right. So what about Democrats⁵ then? Are they getting on board with the deal that President Biden helped make?

WALSH: You know, many are. The president's been making a lot of calls to Democrats on the Hill, but a lot of progressives say the president shouldn't have negotiated on the debt ceiling at all with the House Republicans. Some are still upset about the policy provisions that were added to the bill. One would reform how new energy projects get approved. Another would add some new work requirements for adults without dependents who receive assistance like food stamps. Those new requirements would be in place through 2030. But the White House did get agreement to exclude some groups of people - veterans, people experiencing homelessness and some others - who get aid from federal safety net programs from any work requirements. So in the end, more people could receive these benefits. One Democrat⁴, Pennsylvania Congressman⁶ Brendan Boyle, wasn't enthusiastic about backing this deal, but he summed up where Democrats find themselves right now.

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BRENDAN BOYLE: This bipartisan bill is not perfect. In fact, I've yet to meet one person who loves it. Perhaps that is a sign that it is a fair compromise between a narrowly Republican House and a narrowly Democratic Senate and, of course, a Democratic White House.

MART?NEZ: So to what Boyle is saying, there are more than a few House Republicans that do not love it, Deirdre. Could this threaten McCarthy's job as speaker?

WALSH: For now, no one is pushing to remove him. Remember, part of the deal McCarthy cut to get the votes to be elected speaker in January was to agree to a rules change that would allow just any one member to offer a resolution to remove the House speaker. Texas Republican Chip Roy argued no Republican should vote for this debt deal. He warned yesterday there would be consequences without mentioning the speaker by name.

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CHIP ROY: No matter what happens, there's going to be a reckoning about what just occurred unless we stop this bill.

WALSH: But McCarthy says he believes his job is secure.

MART?NEZ: So if McCarthy is right and the deal passes tonight, the Senate still has to take it up. When would that happen?

WALSH: It needs to happen quickly. Some senators are pushing for amendments⁷. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he's going to keep the Senate in this weekend to vote on it. The Treasury⁸ secretary says the U.S. could run out of money to pay its bills as soon as Monday, June 5. So they need to act by then.

MART?NEZ: That's NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Talk again soon.

WALSH: Thank you.

1 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

2 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。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 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。

5 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》

6 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

7 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。

8 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。