VOA标准英语2009年-US Senate Confirms Trade Representative

The U.S. Senate Wednesday voted 92 to 5 to confirm Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative. Kirk, who becomes the first African American to hold the post, has vowed¹ to pursue new trade deals but also work to ensure that U.S. trading partners are not violating existing trade agreements.
　
Ron Kirk testifying on Capitol Hill, 09 Mar² 2009

The Senate vote came after little debate on the nomination³.

Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat⁴ and frequent critic of free trade accords, said he hoped Ron Kirk would work for fair trade, and noted⁵ that the U.S. trade deficit⁶ last year totaled $800 billion.

"I hope this trade ambassador understands that our country stands for trade, stands for open markets, but we ought to, for a change, stand for fair trade agreements and we ought to stand for balance in trade, and get rid of an $800 billion a year deficit in which we end up owing other countries a substantial amount of our future," Senator Dorgan said.

At his confirmation⁷ hearing last week, Kirk, a former mayor of Dallas, Texas, pledged to make sure other countries live up to commitments they have made under existing trade agreements.

Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who lost his presidential bid to Barack Obama last November, said he was reluctantly voting to confirm Kirk. He said he had reservations about the Obama administration's trade policies, and said he was concerned about provisions in recently-passed bills requiring the government to use U.S. steel for certain projects and ending a program to allow Mexican trucks to operate in the United States.

"I remain very concerned about the direction of our trade policies at a time of economic peril," he said.

But fellow Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Kirk's home state of Texas had no such reservations about confirming the nominee⁸.

"He will make a great U.S. Trade Representative," she said. "He will seek exports of American goods all over the world. He will seek free and fair trade."

Hutchison said Kirk would face a series of challenges in his new post, including revitalizing stalled world trade talks and seeking congressional approval of free trade agreements with Panama, South Korea and Colombia - all negotiated by the previous administration of President George W. Bush.
　
President Barack Obama's nominee for Commerce Secretary, former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, in Washington, DC, 25 Feb 2009

Meanwhile, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held a confirmation hearing for President Obama's nominee to head the Commerce Department, former Democratic Governor Gary Locke of Washington State.

Locke vowed that if confirmed, he would insist on tough enforcement of U.S. trade laws, and develop an aggressive program to create and protect American jobs.

"We must rebuild, retool⁹ and reinvent our national strategies for sustained economic growth," he said.

Senator Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, praised Locke's qualifications for the job.

"As the two-term governor of the nation's most trade-dependent state, he spent eight years breaking down trade barriers and promoting American products from airplanes to apples to operating systems," she said. "He has led numerous successful delegations¹⁰ to our Asian trading partners to foster those relationships. The experience and relationships he built over the years will serve him well as he works to promote American products and American technology to a global market."

Locke, if confirmed, would become the first Chinese-American commerce secretary. Locke told the hearing his grandfather moved from China to Washington State a century ago to work as a houseboy.

Locke - who is expected to be easily confirmed - was President Obama's third choice for commerce secretary after New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire withdrew their nominations¹¹.

1 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。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 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。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

7 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 retool   

v.改组，重新装备

参考例句：

• Each time the product changes,the machines have to be retooled.每次更换产品，就得重新装备机器。
• In the computer industry,engineers have to retool frequently.在电脑业中，工程师必须经常以新知识充实装备自己。

10 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

11 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句