美国国家公共电台 NPR Illinois Congressman On Why He Supports The Republican Health Care Plan

 

LAKSHMI SINGH, HOST:

We want to turn now to Congressman¹ Rodney Davis. He is a Republican speaking to us from Decatur, Ill., and he is in favor of the bill being advanced by House Republicans. Congressman Davis, thanks so much for joining us.

RODNEY DAVIS: Thanks for having me on.

SINGH: So please tell us briefly² why you are in favor of this bill.

DAVIS: Because the status quo is collapsing³. The health insurance marketplace as we know it is not sustainable under the current law. And if we do nothing and watch states like Illinois have to come up with hundreds of millions of dollars under the current law just to keep the Medicaid expansion in place that we have, then I'm abdicating⁴ my responsibility as a policymaker. The bill that I'm supporting I'm sure will be changed by the time it goes to the Senate and comes back to us. But I'm looking forward to the debate to make our health care system better than it is today.

SINGH: We just heard from the president of the American Medical Association, who says that this bill will put health insurance out of reach for millions of Americans, especially older, lower-income patients. What do you make of that?

DAVIS: Well, I disagree with the statements. And I've talked to many doctors over my time in Washington over the last four years who were very frustrated⁵ with the current status quo, with the Affordable⁶ Care Act as implemented⁷. Doctors that I talked to are seeing less patients because of the compliance⁸ issues that they have to follow under Obamacare. We want to make the system better, and I look forward to having their input⁹. But I would argue looking in Illinois, where we've had 45 to 55 - and friends of mine have had 87 percent increases in their premiums¹⁰ - Obamacare's already costly¹¹. And frankly¹², the promise for families of saving $2,500 on average did not come true.

SINGH: Well, as you're well aware, there has been pushback from the right as well, a lot of Republicans, especially in the Senate, who say that this bill does not go far enough in repealing¹³ the current health care law, the Affordable Care Act, also widely known as Obamacare. Rand Paul has called the Republican plan Obamacare lite. What do you make of his resistance to this current bill?

DAVIS: Well, I know Rand. Rand's a friend of mine. I think this is a publicity¹⁴ stunt¹⁵, though, that is not based on facts. His own plan has refundable¹⁶ tax credits just like our plan does. You know, I want to make sure that we don't just pull the rug out from those who are dependent on coverage¹⁷, those who may need the assistance through our Medicaid programs.

I think our program as designed is a great off-ramp to be able to get to a system that's going to be affordable for every single American, that's going to stop the collapsing status quo we know as Obamacare, and also actually be able to provide opportunities for families to get off of Medicaid and then be able to afford the coverage that they need or be offered more affordable coverage through their employers or future employers.

SINGH: Well, Congressman Davis, we know, though, that this is probably not going to be smooth sailing for this bill to be approved. There is enough resistance that there are going to be obstacles to getting to where you want to get. What is it going to take, you think, to get enough Republicans to bend behind this bill finally?

DAVIS: Well, we'll see when we go back next week. I'm part of the deputy whip team, so we'll be asking members what their concerns are. But I would - I would let you know that no major piece of legislation that I've seen go across the House floor in my four years has ever been easy. And this one will be no different. But we also have to remember as Republicans we are now the majority and we have the White House. We have to move from an opposition¹⁸ party to a proposition party. Now's our time to put our ideas forward. And this is going to be a test for the Republicans, no doubt.

SINGH: Congressman Rodney Davis, representing Illinois' 13th District, speaking to us from Decatur. Thank you so much for joining us.

DAVIS: Thanks for having me on.

1 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。

2 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

3 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

4 abdicating   

放弃（职责、权力等）( abdicate的现在分词 )； 退位，逊位

参考例句：

• It is merely claimed that this is abdicating to save itself. 他仅仅把这称之为是人的高傲为了自我救赎而退出了王座。
• A complete hands-off approach is abdicating your business responsibility. 彻底的不闻不问意味着你对自己事业责任的放弃。

5 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

9 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

10 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。

14 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

15 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

16 Refundable   

adj.可归还的，可退还的

参考例句：

• All deposits for holiday cottages are refundable. 度假别墅的抵押金可全数退还。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Empty bottles are not refundable. 空瓶不退。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

18 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。