VOA标准英语2013--US Senate Passes Landmark Immigration Bill

 

US Senate Passes Landmark¹ Immigration Bill

The Senate’s comprehensive reform bill provides a long and arduous² path to residency and eventual³ U.S. citizenship⁴ for millions of undocumented immigrants.  

Democrat⁵ Richard Durbin helped craft the bill and explains the provisions.

“To have 11 million people come forward, identify themselves, register with our government, pay their taxes, pay a fine, submit themselves to a criminal background check before we allow them to stay in this country," he said. 

The bill also seeks to streamline⁶ legal immigration, with an emphasis on attracting high-skilled workers.  And it mandates⁷ a “surge” in U.S. border security, as noted⁸ by Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

“This proposal mandates the most border and interior security measures in our nation’s history.  For example, it requires and funds the completion of 700 miles [1,126 kilometers] of real border fence.  It adds 20,000 new border agents.  It details a specific technology plan for [monitoring] each sector⁹ of the border," he said. 

All Democratic senators backed the bill, joined by about one-third of Republicans.  Opponents, like Senator David Vitter, doubt it will achieve its security goals.

“The amnesty is first, virtually immediately.  The enforcement is later, maybe," he said. 

Other Republicans argued adding millions of undocumented immigrants to America’s legal workforce¹⁰ would depress wages and add to unemployment.

But according to a non-partisan congressional analysis, the Senate bill would boost U.S. economic growth and reduce federal deficits¹¹, a projection¹² highlighted by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer.

“Fewer illegal immigrants, higher GDP [gross domestic product], more jobs, reduced deficit," he said. "Who could oppose that?”

Republican Bob Corker was one of many senators who noted the vast contributions immigrants make to America, regardless of their legal status.

"They are walking across our border to work hard, to do all kinds of things.  They create companies and they are entrepreneurs.  They also raise our kids, they serve us meals, they bring our crops in, they build our homes, they build our buildings.  They want to participate in the American dream," he said. 

But opposition¹³ to the Senate’s vision for immigration reform runs high among Republicans who control the House of Representatives.  House Speaker John Boehner has ruled out a vote on the Senate bill.

Instead, the House could pass border security measures mirroring Senate provisions, but skip legalization of the undocumented.  An enforcement-only approach would be unacceptable to Democrats¹⁴, including President Obama.

On Twitter, the reaction to the bill's Senate passage hinted at the divisive debate expected in the lower house of Congress.

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

3 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

4 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

5 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。

6 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

7 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

8 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。

9 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。

10 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

11 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

12 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

13 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。

14 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》