美国国家公共电台 NPR Senate Votes To Limit Trump's Power To Lift Russia Sanctions

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Members of the Senate have found something to agree on. Nearly all voted in favor of strengthening sanctions against Russia. The Senate vote on the bill was 97 to 2. Russia already faces sanctions for its actions in Ukraine, which President Trump¹ had talked of lifting. His secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, would like flexibility² in dealing³ with Russia, but this bill would make sanctions harder to lift without congressional approval. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE⁴: Idaho Republican Mike Crapo is one of the sponsors of the legislation, which expands sanctions on Russia and ensures that the Trump administration can't ease up on the pressure without a congressional review.

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MICHAEL CRAPO: Americans are concerned about Russia's behavior in the Ukraine and Syria, and they're concerned about Russia's increased cyber intrusions. Many of us, on both sides of the aisle⁵, feel that the United States needs to be much stronger in its response to Russia.

KELEMEN: The senator says Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has become increasingly belligerent⁶, nationalistic and autocratic. Democrat⁷ Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire adds it was important to send a bipartisan message to the Kremlin, which she says tried to undermine U.S. elections.

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JEANNE SHAHEEN: What we have heard from experts in the intelligence community - they have warned us that if Russia gets a pass on this, that it will interfere⁸ in future U.S. elections. We've seen it in Europe and other Western democracies.

KELEMEN: Shaheen is urging the House to follow suit with similar legislation and calling on President Trump to sign the measure, which is attached to the popular Iran sanctions bill. Secretary of State Tillerson, testifying on the budget this week, is urging lawmakers to give him room to maneuver⁹ with Moscow.

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REX TILLERSON: Essentially¹⁰, we would ask for the flexibility to turn the heat up when we need to but also to ensure we have the ability to maintain a constructive¹¹ dialogue.

KELEMEN: At one House hearing, Democrat Eliot Engel sought assurances that the Trump administration would continue to pressure Russia to resolve the conflict it stirred up in Ukraine and fulfill¹² its obligations under the so-called Minsk accord. Tillerson suggested there may be other diplomatic options.

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TILLERSON: So my caution is - I wouldn't want to have ourselves handcuffed to Minsk if it turns out the parties decide to settle this through another - a different agreement.

KELEMEN: Engel was unimpressed.

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ELIOT ENGEL: The only thing that Russia understands is tough talk. And if they think that we're somehow willing to relax the sanctions on them before they've complied with the Minsk framework and left Crimea, I think it just will encourage Putin to continue his bullying¹³. And who knows where he'll strike next?

KELEMEN: Secretary Tillerson says U.S.-Russia relations are at a new low, and he's trying to stabilize¹⁴ that. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

(SOUNDBITE OF NANOBYTE'S "SUSURRUS")

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 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。

5 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

6 belligerent   

adj.好战的，挑起战争的；n.交战国，交战者

参考例句：

• He had a belligerent aspect.他有种好斗的神色。
• Our government has forbidden exporting the petroleum to the belligerent countries.我们政府已经禁止向交战国输出石油。

7 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。

8 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

10 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

11 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

12 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

13 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。