VOA标准英语2009年-Obama to Seek Congressional Support for Budget,

Before his Tuesday news conference, dominated by questions about the economy, President Barack Obama faced more criticism from opposition¹ Republicans over his budget and spending proposals. The president is expected to visit the US Congress on Wednesday to help move his priorities through the Democratic-controlled legislature.
　
President Barack Obama makes remarks to representatives of the National Conference of State Legislatures at the White House, 20 Mar³ 2009

As the furor⁴ continues over the hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses the American International Group gave to its employees, President Obama and administration officials face pressure from Republicans, and some Democrats⁵, about his budget priorities.

The president meets Wednesday with Senate Democrats, as the budget committee there and in the House of Representatives begin "marking up" budget resolutions, which form the framework for appropriations⁶ and other important legislation.

Democrats controlling both committees will use as a basis revised figures released last week by the Congressional Budget Office that project a more than $1.8 trillion deficit⁷ for 2009, substantially more than the Obama administration's initial estimate.
　
Congressman⁸ Paul Ryan

Republicans, such as Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, kept up their criticism, accusing President Obama of fiscal⁹ irresponsibility and asserting that his plans will greatly increase deficit spending. "One would think that our government would be fiscally¹⁰ responsible and try and contain our debt. Unfortunately, the president has given us a budget that grows our debt so much that our public debt will double within six years and triple in a little over 10 years," he said.

Ryan says Republicans will release their own alternative proposals after they see what Democrats bring to the table.

House Majority Leader, Democrat² Steny Hoyer says House and Senate budget plans will be a "broad brush" blueprint¹¹ to achieve the objectives of repairing the economy in the short-term and putting the U.S. on a path to long-term, sustainable fiscal health.

But he told reporters that achieving another objective, cutting the deficit in half as a percentage of gross domestic product within five years, would require "modifications," taking the latest projections¹² into account.

Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there can be no wavering on investment in and reform of health care and education.

When asked whether the Congressional Budget Office deficit projections will force Democrats to scale back these and other goals, Pelosi responded. "You can't say, 'We're going to do less because those numbers are pessimistic.' You say, 'We have to do what we do in light of those numbers.'"

House minority leader John Boehner repeated his assertion that President Obama has largely ignored Republican proposals on the budget and economy. "When it is all said and done, I think it is time for a 'do over'. We need to start this budget process all over again. And I hope the president will work with us to build a responsible budget that will help strengthen our economy and put Americans back to work again," he said.

While the loudest complaints about President Obama's budget come from Republicans, he has also heard concerns about deficit spending from Democrats, including Senate Budget Committee Chairman, Kent Conrad.

A key question is whether either chamber¹³ of Congress will employ what is called the "reconciliation¹⁴ process" aimed at overcoming filibusters¹⁵, or blocks, in the Senate on contentious¹⁶ measures where a 60-vote majority is usually required to pass major legislation.

When the House and Senate debate their respective plans next week, Republicans are expected to offer amendments¹⁷ to cut or freeze government spending.

Last week's Congressional Budget Office analysis of President Obama's budget projected that it would increase the federal deficit $2.3 trillion more than initially¹⁸ expected during the next 10 years.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 furor   

n.狂热；大骚动

参考例句：

• His choice of words created quite a furor.他的措辞引起了相当大的轰动。
• The half hour lecture caused an enormous furor.那半小时的演讲引起了极大的轰动。

5 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》

6 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 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。

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

10 fiscally   

在国库方面，财政上，在国库岁入方面

参考例句：

• Nor will fiscally stretched governments pump more money into the political equivalent of a leper colony. 财政吃紧的政府也不愿将更多的钱投入这个避之唯恐不及的政治瘟疫区。
• We are more fiscally constrained, which forces us to work smarter and more efficiently. 与F-15相比我们资金上的限制更大了，美女类小游戏，这迫使我们更为精心和有效地工作。

11 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

12 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

13 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。

14 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

15 filibusters   

n.掠夺兵( filibuster的名词复数 )；暴兵；（用冗长的发言）阻挠议事的议员；会议妨碍行为v.阻碍或延宕国会或其他立法机构通过提案( filibuster的第三人称单数 )；掠夺

参考例句：

• This Republican leadership has waged 78 filibusters and we still have six months to go. 而这届参议院上台才一年半，共和党领导层已经应用了78次。 来自互联网
• Yes, there were filibusters in the past-most notably by segregationists trying to block civil rights legislation. 没错，过去也有使用阻挠立法手段的——尤其是种族隔离分子阻止民权法案使用过。 来自互联网

16 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

17 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

18 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。