2006年VOA标准英语-Domestic Spying Controversy Debated in Con

By Dan Robinson
Washington
16 February 2006

There has been more heated debate in Congress over President Bush's approval of a program to spy on communications between suspected terrorists in the United States and those overseas. The Bush administration defends the wiretapping, saying a congressional resolution passed after the September 11, 2001, attacks gave the president authority to approve the wiretaps. But a key Senate Republican says the administration's justifications¹ must be subjected to closer scrutiny².

----------------------------------------------

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter is drafting legislation designed to clarify and protect Congress' constitutional powers regarding the spying program. Congress passed a law in 1978, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, forbidding domestic surveillance without a court's permission.

Specter said Wednesday that he has scheduled a hearing on the issue for the end of this month. He said he expects the legislation to be ready by mid-March.

"I am prepared to go in any direction which will submit the [Bush] administration's program to a specific analysis on constitutionality, with all the details on the table, for the people to review who are charged with having that oversight³ or that determination," said Specter.

Specter wants the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which President Bush bypassed in approving the program, to conduct reviews of the program every 45 days to ensure it is being carried out properly.

Another Republican lawmaker is drafting separate legislation that proposes to exclude the domestic spying effort from the 1978 law covering surveillance.

In the House Judiciary Committee, there was intense debate as opposition⁴ Democrats⁶ argued vigorously but unsuccessfully in support of requiring Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to turn over documents relevant to the wiretapping program, which was carried out by the National Security Agency.

Allegations by Democrats that Republicans are resisting more extensive hearings and inquiries⁷ produced this exchange between the committee chairman, Republican James Sensenbrenner, and Democrat⁵ Anthony Weiner.

Sensenbrenner: "I want to get the answers to these questions. You know I am kind of a tiger on that, but give me a break."

Weiner: "Mr. Chairman, yes, but you're having a pussycat moment here."

Congressman⁸ Sensenbrenner has set a March 2 deadline for the Bush administration to respond to 51 questions he sent to Attorney General Gonzales concerning the legal justifications and issues of presidential authority.

House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi says Republicans are purposely blocking Democrat demands for wider inquiries. "Closed government is not healthy for a democracy," she said. "Yet again, another example of closed government on the part of Republicans."

Meanwhile, a key Republican House lawmaker says huge damage was done to U.S. anti-terrorism efforts by individuals who leaked information about the domestic spying program.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra says those who leaked the story of the wiretapping should be prosecuted⁹.

"There is an aggressive investigation¹⁰ going on as to who leaked this information, how and where it was leaked. It is my hope and expectation that we will identify those individuals who were responsible for it," he said. "They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, because America is less safe today than we were 54 days ago."

Key House Republicans reiterated¹¹ their position Wednesday that President Bush had the constitutional authority to approve the domestic spying program, which the White House maintains is narrow in scope, involving intercepts¹² of communications between suspected terrorists in the United States and those overseas.

1 justifications   

正当的理由，辩解的理由( justification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If he a vulgar person, she does not have justifications for him. 如果他是个低级趣味的人，她早就不会理他了。
• It depends on their effect on competition and possible justifications. 这则取决于它们对于竞争的影响和可能存在的正当抗辩理由。

2 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

3 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。

4 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。

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 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》

7 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 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。

9 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

12 intercepts   

（数学）截距( intercept的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It intercepts a portion of the light impinging on the photocell. 它遮住一部分照射在光电管上的光。
• The pelletfilter intercepts the particulate matter. 颗粒过滤器将颗粒物进行拦截。