VOA常速英语2008年-Bush, Democrats Disagree Over Wiretapping

By Scott Stearns
Dar es Salaam¹, Tanzania
16 February 2008

President Bush says opposition² Democrats³ are putting the nation at risk by failing to pass a new wiretapping law so the government can monitor suspected terrorist communications without a court warrant. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Democrats say there is no additional threat as surveillance orders under the law expiring Saturday are valid⁴ for another year.

President Bush says U.S. intelligence officials may lose a vital lead that could prevent a terrorist attack on America because they will lose the power to authorize⁵ new surveillance without court approval.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush says House Democrats are putting politics above protecting the nation by failing to pass new legislation that allows the government to monitor telephone and computer communications between people in the United States and suspected terrorist abroad without a warrant.

"Some congressional leaders claim that this will not affect our security. They are wrong," he said.  "Because Congress failed to act, it will be harder for our government to keep you safe from terrorist attack."

House Democrats have raised concerns about protecting privacy rights and granting the retroactive immunity⁶ the president wants for telephone companies that have helped monitor those communications.

Without that immunity, Mr. Bush says U.S. intelligence gathering⁷ is at risk.

"By failing to act, Congress has created a question about whether private sector⁸ companies who assist in our efforts to defend you from the terrorists could be sued for doing the right thing," he added.  "Now, these companies will be increasingly reluctant to provide this vital cooperation, because of their uncertainty⁹ about the law and fear of being sued by class-action trial lawyers."

Some 40 lawsuits¹⁰ are currently pending¹¹ against telephone companies for allegedly violating wiretap laws by cooperating with the government.

In the Democratic party's radio address, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says President Bush has chosen to manufacture an unnecessary confrontation¹² with Congress instead of working with lawmakers in a calm, constructive¹³ way.

"We Democrats urge the president to work with Congress to provide our intelligence professionals needed authorities while protecting the privacy of law-abiding Americans," he said.

Mr. Whitehouse says the president wants to force the House to adopt Senate eavesdropping¹⁴ legislation instead of resolving the differences between House and Senate bills through the usual process of a conference committee.

"We know this president dislikes compromise, but this time he has taken his stubborn approach too far," he added.  "He is whipping up false fears and creating artificial confrontation."

Mr. Whitehouse says the president should drop his threat to veto a short extension of the surveillance law to allow Congress to finish its work.

The senator says the law expiring Saturday does not - in reality - threaten the safety of Americans.  He says the president is aware that existing surveillance orders remain in effect for one year. And any additional requests can be made through a secret court.

Congress has begun a 10-day recess¹⁵.

President Bush recorded his radio address before leaving on a five-nation tour of Africa. He stopped in Benin Saturday before arriving here in Tanzania.  Mr. Bush will also visit Rwanda, Ghana, and Liberia.

1 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

2 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。

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 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

5 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

6 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

10 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

11 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

12 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

13 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。

14 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

15 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。