VOA标准英语2009-US House Committee Approves Iraq, Afghanistan Wa

U.S. strategies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, continuing support for Iraq, and Middle East peace efforts figured highly in debate Thursday in a key House of Representatives committee. Debate on these issues occurred as the House Appropriations¹ Committee approved the 2009 Supplemental Bill funding ongoing² U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and supporting economic and other needs in Pakistan:
　
US Capitol, Washington DC

At just over $94 billion, the measure exceeds President Obama's initial request by more than $9 billion. Of the total, $81.6 billion is for U.S. military and intelligence operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to U.S. military operations and diplomatic activities in Iraq, it provides $968 million for stabilization³ programs and strengthening governance and rule of law.

More than $4 billion goes to help expand and improve capabilities⁴ of Afghanistan's security forces, with over $1.5 billion for development, agriculture and rule of law programs.

The measure provides $400 milllion requested by the Obama administration for a new Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability⁵ Fund to bolster⁶ efforts against the Taliban and extremist groups. Another $2.3 billion is for economic aid, and programs to improve the rule of law, national and provincial⁷ governance and education.

Prominent are provisions to expand U.S. government oversight⁸ of aid to Pakistan and Afghanistan. It requires a presidential report to Congress on whether Afghanistan and Pakistan are demonstrating the necessary commitment, capability, conduct and unity⁹ of purpose to warrant the continuation of President Obama's strategy announced last March.
　
US House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. David Obey, D-Wisc.

Appropriations chairman (Representative) David Obey, a Democrat¹⁰ from Winsconsin, dismissed suggestions in media reports of differences with the White House.

Saying he remains¹¹ skeptical¹² that a favorable outcome can be achieved either in Afghanistan or Pakistan, Obey said the measure imposes neither conditions nor timetables, but requires Congress and the administration to assess progress.

"These are not conditions, as I said, these are not timelines. It is simply a requirement for a hard nose [sharply realistic], and I would help fish or cut bait evaluation¹³, but it is up to the administration and it is up to the Congress to evaluate the administration's report at that time," he said.

Elsewhere, the measure provides nearly $2 billion in security and economic assistance to Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and the West Bank and Gaza, accelerating aid the administration requested for the 2010 fiscal¹⁴ year.

A compromise with the Obama administration on language on aid to Palestinians produced what Foreign Operations Subcommittee chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-New Yok) called the assurance that economic, humanitarian¹⁵ and security assistance does not benefit Hamas, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization:

"It ensures that Hamas and other terrorist organizations do not receive taxpayer¹⁶ funding and that a potential unity government and all its ministers or equivalent, publicly recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce¹⁷ violence and adhere to past agreements," she said.
　
Democratic U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman

Democrat Steve Rothman elaborated on lawmaker's insistence¹⁸ on strong language on the issue.

"Anyone who would participate in such a Palestinian unity government would first, if they were going to receive one penny or more of U.S. taxpayer dollars, first accept the principle that Israel should continue to exist and has the right to exist forever, that they would accept all of the Quartet [US,EU,Russia and UN] principles and previous agreements negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians and that they would resolve all of their other outstanding issues without violence," he added.

On security aid for Israel, Republican Mark Kirk referred to another compromise resulting in Israel receiving $30 million in assistance to help upgrade its Arrow-3 anti-missile defense¹⁹ system against potential Iranian threats.

"The Obama administration plan to cut Arrow 3 has now been reversed, and we are now going to be providing $30 million for Arrow 3, just in time for the [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu-Obama summit," said Kirk.

The legislation, which the committee approved sending it to the full House of Representatives for consideration, also contains $500 million in international food assistance, another $300 million to help developing countries cope with the global financial crisis.

Also included: $200 million for internally-displaced people, with assistance targeted at Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Middle East and South Asia; $837 million for U.N. peacekeeping operations including missions in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Central African Republic; and $100 million to make up for shortfalls in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in Haiti, Afghanistan, and Congo.

Lawmakers specifically provide $151 million for economic and security assistance to Kenya, Somalia, Southern Sudan and Zimbabwe, $242 million to the Republic of Georgia, and $470 million to support the Mexican government's battle against narcotics²⁰ cartels and related violence.

1 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

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

4 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

6 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

7 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

8 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

9 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

10 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。

11 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。

12 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

13 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

14 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。

15 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

16 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

17 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

18 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

19 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

20 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》