VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Promotes Clean Energy Economy in

President Barack Obama says he is speeding up the U.S. transition to a clean energy economy, as part of efforts to make sure jobs and industries of the future take root in the United States.

 

In his weekly address Saturday, President Obama touted¹ almost $2 billion in new investments in two U.S. solar energy companies.

"After years of watching companies build things and create jobs overseas, it's good news that we've attracted a company to our shores to build a plant and create jobs right here in America," said President Obama.

Mr. Obama says the projects will create thousands of jobs and generate enough clean energy for tens of thousands of homes.

The president also addressed an announcement by the U.S. Labor² Department Friday that the total number of people asking for unemployment assistance rose to almost 500,000 in the last week of June.

"As I've said from the day I took office, it's going to take months, even years, to dig our way out - and it's going to require an all-hands-on-deck effort," he added.

The Republican weekly address comes from Senator Saxby Chambliss from the southern state of Georgia.  Chambliss criticized Democrats³ for heavy spending while the U.S. has a $13 trillion debt.

"We have to make tough decisions about spending beyond our means," he said.  "I continue to hope that President Obama, [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi and others will take a step toward responsibility and restraint, and reject the path of reckless spending that America is presently on," he said.

Senator Chambliss also said the U.S. receiving loans from other nations makes the large debt a security issue.

 

1 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

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》