2007年VOA标准英语-Senate Republicans Block Iraq Resolution

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
06 February 2007

watch video report by J. Fry

U.S. Senate Republicans have used a procedural vote to block a bipartisan, nonbinding resolution opposing President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq. It is a defeat for Senate critics of the war, who say they will continue efforts to send a strong bipartisan message to the president to change course in Iraq. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The Senate voted 49 to 47 to end debate on the resolution, far less than the majority needed to cut off debate and clear the way for a vote on the measure. The vote was largely along party lines in the Democratic-controlled chamber².

The resolution, sponsored by Senator John Warner of Virginia, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, expresses disagreement over President Bush's decision to send 21,500 additional combat troops to Iraq.

Majority Leader Harry³ Reid, a Nevada Democrat¹, said Republicans blocked the resolution from coming to a vote because they did not want to embarrass the president.

"What you just saw on the Senate floor was Republicans giving George Bush a green light to escalate⁴ the conflict in Iraq," said Harry Reid.

Mitch McConnell

But the Senate's top Republican, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, says he voted to block the resolution not because he wanted to avoid debating the measure, but because he wanted to protest the Democratic leadership's decision to bar two other Republican-sponsored Iraq resolutions from being considered.

"We are not afraid of the debate," said Mitch McConnell. "We are ready to have it. I'm anxious to go forward, but we are going to insist on fair treatment."

One of the resolutions McConnell wants the Senate to consider would underscore the president's commander-in-chief responsibilities under the Constitution. The other would express support for Mr. Bush's plan to increase troop levels in Iraq and set benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet following the deployment⁵.

But McConnell makes clear he opposes the Warner resolution on grounds it sends the wrong message - a point underscored by Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who calls himself an independent Democrat:

"It is an act which I fear will discourage our troops, hearten our enemies and showcase our disunity," said Lieberman.

In the end, Senator Warner voted to block his own resolution, agreeing with his Republican leadership that Democrats⁶ in control of the chamber should allow other Republican-backed resolutions to be considered. But he made it clear he remains⁷ opposed to the president's troop surge plan, saying the Iraqis should take more responsibility for fighting for their country.

"Let them take the brunt of the fight, and maybe we do not need 21,500, together with support, troops to go in and do the job that we have trained these people to do themselves," said John Warner.

Majority Leader Reid expressed disappointment that the resolution was blocked, saying he believed he had assurances from Senator McConnell last week that Republicans would allow the resolution to come to a vote. Reid vowed⁸ that the Senate would not abandon the debate over Iraq, and said fellow Democrats would meet Tuesday to discuss how to proceed in the coming days and weeks.

1 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。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

4 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

5 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

6 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》

7 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。

8 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。