VOA慢速英语--Trump Continues Tradition with Speech to Congress

 

President Donald Trump¹ will give his first speech to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.

He is expected to discuss his plan to increase military spending by nearly 10 percent, or $54 billion, offset² by equal cuts in non-defense spending. The cuts will likely include large reductions in foreign aid.

He told governors on Monday that he would also propose more spending on public safety, including more efforts to stop illegal immigration. And he would call for more spending to rebuild old roadways and airports and reduce taxes.

Trump is likely to repeat some of the comments he made last week in a speech before conservatives.

He said at the Conservative Political Action Conference, “We will reduce taxes. We will cut your regulations. We will support our police. We will defend our flag. We will rebuild our military. We will take care of our great, great veterans.”

Some will watch what tone Trump uses in his speech. Will he reach out to Democrats³ and others who oppose his policies?

Richard Vatz and Gerald Shuster are experts on presidential communication. Neither expects Trump to tone back the strong comments that have marked both his campaign for president and his first 40 days as president.

“People have been predicting for a long time that he will change his tone, but it hasn’t happened and I see no reason to think it will now,” Vatz said.

Vatz is a professor at Towson University in Maryland. He said the reason Trump is not likely to change is because his supporters like his strong criticism of the news media and Democrats. The downside, Vatz said, is that Trump faces the strongest opposition⁴ of any U.S. president since the 1960s.

Shuster teaches at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Shuster does not expect Trump to moderate his language unless he faces a major setback⁵ -- such as a failure to carry out his promise to repeal⁶ and replace the health plan known as Obamacare.

Presidential speeches go back to George Washington

Presidents have been giving speeches to Congress since the beginning of the Republic. George Washington, the first president, was also the first president to give a speech to Congress.

The U.S. constitution says presidents “shall from time to time give to Congress information of the state of the Union.”

But no president since John Kennedy in 1961 has given a State of the Union address during their first year in office. Recent presidents have instead given what is called a speech to a joint⁷ session of Congress.

In his first speech to Congress in 2009, President Barack Obama said he was sure America would overcome its worst recession in over 70 years.

“We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before,” Obama said.

In 2001, President George W. Bush, a Republican, said America needed to be ready for the unexpected. A little over six months later, America faced its worst terrorist attack ever, killing⁸ 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

In 1981, new President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, discussed concerns his policies would hurt low-income Americans.

He said, “All those with true need can rest assured that the social safety net of programs they depend on are exempt⁹ from any cuts."

Five days after the killing of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, President Lyndon Johnson made his first speech to a joint session of Congress. He said, "All I have I would have given gladly not to be standing¹⁰ here today. The greatest leader of our time has been struck down by the foulest¹¹ deed of our time."

Who will watch Trump’s speech?

Trump’s speech will be televised live across the United States and in some other nations.

The audience watching in the U.S. Capitol will include more than just members of the Senate and House of Representatives. There will be members of his cabinet, Supreme¹² Court justices and news reporters whom Trump calls the “enemy of the people” for stories critical of his administration.

Members of Congress also invite “special guests” to watch the speech.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi plans to invite a young immigrant who could be hurt by Trump’s plans to take on illegal immigration. Pelosi also plans to bring a person she says has spoken out about the importance of a free press.

Pelosi said Trump has failed to carry out his most important campaign promise. “Five weeks into his administration, President Trump has not introduced a single jobs bill,” she said.

But Trump said he is speaking for Americans who have not been treated fairly.

“The forgotten men and women of America will be forgotten no longer.”

Words in This Story

regulation - n. an official rule or law that says how something should be done

tone - n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking

state - n. the current condition

emerge - v. used to indicate the usually good state or condition of someone or something at the end of an event, process

assured - v. be sure something will happen or not happen

exempt - n. not affected¹³ by some decision, rule or proposal.

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 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

3 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》

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

6 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 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。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 foulest   

adj.恶劣的( foul的最高级 )；邪恶的；难闻的；下流的

参考例句：

• Most of the foremen abused the workmen in the foulest languages. 大多数的工头用极其污秽的语言辱骂工人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Of all men the drunkard is the foulest. 男人中最讨人厌的是酒鬼。 来自辞典例句

12 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。

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。