美国国家公共电台 NPR--After the House votes to avert a rail strike, the bill heads to the Senate

After the House votes to avert¹ a rail strike, the bill heads to the Senate

Transcript²

Members of the House passed legislation aimed at preventing a railroad strike, which could have devastating³ economic consequences. But the effort faces hurdles⁴.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

In this country, the House of Representatives has acted to prevent a railroad strike. The House passed two bills. One would force railroad unions to accept a tentative labor⁵ deal negotiated by the Biden administration. The second would give rail workers seven days of paid sick leave. NPR's Ximena Bustillo reports.

XIMENA BUSTILLO, BYLINE⁶: The Senate today is negotiating an effort to avert a railroad strike, but the Biden administration is urging lawmakers to not delay the passage of the bill that forces the agreement, even if that means leaving workers without sick leave. The sick leave measure was added by House Democrats⁷ following concerns from both lawmakers and worker advocates. Advocates have been asking for a paid sick leave policy that can allow workers to take time off to be put in the contract. The contract negotiated by the Biden administration did not include this, so some unions rejected the agreement, creating the threat that all railroads will strike as soon as December 9. But the president wants to see a bill by the weekend, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Here she is discussing the president's position on what the House passed.

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KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: The president, of course - he supports paid sick leaves (ph) for all Americans, including rail workers, but he does not support any bill or amendment⁸ that will delay getting this bill to his desk by this Saturday. And he's been very clear about that.

BUSTILLO: Jean-Pierre later added that they do not believe the Senate has the 60 votes needed to pass the paid sick leave portion of the effort. Since the two bills are voted on separately, lawmakers could pass one and fail to pass the other. But some Republicans and progressives are united in opposing any effort that leaves out sick pay. One lawmaker is Senator Bernie Sanders, who is trying to get a coalition⁹ of bipartisan senators to back the paid sick leave effort. Here he is speaking on the Senate floor.

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BERNIE SANDERS: Do we stand with workers in the rail industry and say, yes, you are right? Working conditions are horrendous¹⁰. We cannot continue a process by which you have zero paid sick leave.

BUSTILLO: Senators are expected to get a visit from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh today as they work to put the measure up for a vote. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

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1 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

5 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。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 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》

8 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 horrendous   

adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的

参考例句：

• He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
• The mining industry in China has a horrendous safety record.中国的煤矿工业具有令人不安的安全记录。