2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Campaigns for Immigration Reform

By Scott Stearns
Washington
06 June 2006

President Bush, second right, stands with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff after his speech about border security and immigration reform at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico   
  
President Bush has continued his push for changes in U.S. immigration law during a visit to America's southern border.  Lawmakers are debating two competing bills.

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President Bush told border patrol trainees¹ in the southwest state of New Mexico that illegal immigration is a serious problem that undermines the rule of law and can threaten national security.

"Illegal immigration makes it tough on local communities," said Mr. Bush. "It puts a strain on public schools and strains state and local budgets. It brings crime to some of our communities. And we need to do something about it."

While illegal immigration is a major problem, President Bush says the debate over reforming that system must be conducted with dignity as America itself is a nation of immigrants.

"For generations, immigrants to this country have risked everything because of the dream of freedom," he reminded. "And they have assimilated into our society. And they have contributed to our economy. And they have contributed to the greatness of America."

President Bush wants Congress to spend more money for new fences and high-tech² surveillance equipment as well as 6,000 more border patrol agents.

Because training those new agents will take time, the president is sending National Guard troops to help border patrol agents. Those troops will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities but will instead build roads and other infrastructure³ to free-up agents to better patrol the border.

National Guard officials say 800 troops are expected to be in place along the border by the middle of this month and the balance of the 6,000 troops should be there by August 1.

Forty percent of that force will be stationed in Arizona with the rest divided equally between California, New Mexico, and Texas.

A long-term solution to America's illegal immigration problem remains⁴ with U.S. lawmakers pushing competing bills in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Senate bill focuses more on a guest worker program and how illegal immigrants who have been in America since January 2004 might become eligible⁵ for citizenship⁶.

A bill passed by the House of Representatives deals only with border security and would make illegal immigration a felony.

Lawmakers expect to hammer out those differences in a conference committee, and President Bush is trying to lay the groundwork for that compromise.

Some of the opposition he is facing on this issue comes from members of his own Republican Party who are running for re-election from border districts and believe any accommodation for illegal immigrants amounts to amnesty

1 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

2 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

6 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。