VOA常速英语2007-US Congress Considers New Sanctions Against Suda

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
03 October 2007

The Bush administration is calling for the U.S. Congress to hold off on approving additional sanctions on Sudan, saying further economic pressure could hurt diplomatic efforts that have begun to show progress.  VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The Senate is considering legislation that would encourage efforts in U.S. states to divest¹ from companies that do business with Sudan.  The House of Representatives passed a similar measure in July, but the Bush administration argues the bill would interfere² with the president's role in making foreign policy.

Administration officials also say the measure could hurt diplomatic efforts and plans for a combined African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan's western province of Darfur.

It is a point underscored by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Finance and Development Elizabeth Dribble³ at a hearing of the Senate Banking⁴ Committee.

"Required divestment will be seen by our allies as a U.S.-government action targeting their companies and could affect our ability to obtain the cooperation on mutual⁵ action with respect to Sudan," she said.  "Some of these key allies will providing troops and equipment for the African Union-U.N. hybrid⁶ peacekeeping force."

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, also expressed concern about the proposed legislation.

"We are also concerned that some initiatives to increase economic pressure on Sudan would damage our relationship with our European partners rather than increase pressure on Khartoum, and may further complicate⁷ efforts to carry out our substantial assistance programs," she said.

President Bush tightened⁸ sanctions against the government of Sudan in May.  The administration argues the action has been effective, resulting in Khartoum changing its position on the deployment⁹ of peacekeepers to Darfur.

But John Prendergast, co-chairman of the nonprofit ENOUGH Project that works to end the violence in Darfur, urged Congress to pass the tougher sanctions bill.

"The worst thing we could do now is to let up, because the deadly mistake that has been made on Darfur repeatedly during the last four-and-a-half years has been precisely¹⁰ what the administration proposes now, to reduce pressure, to let up," he said.  "That will ensure the same results that we have had over the last four-and-a-half years.  If Congress backs off now, we will go back to the status quo, guaranteed".

Senator Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat¹¹, agrees.

"One of the best ways to unify¹² our efforts is to make sure the federal government gives state and local governments the authority to do what we know can have an impact," he said.

Earlier this week, Congress passed and sent to President Bush a separate bill that increases penalties on companies that do business with Sudan and Iran.

1 divest   

v.脱去，剥除

参考例句：

• I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
• He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 dribble   

v.点滴留下，流口水；n.口水

参考例句：

• Melted wax dribbled down the side of the candle.熔化了的蜡一滴滴从蜡烛边上流下。
• He wiped a dribble of saliva from his chin.他擦掉了下巴上的几滴口水。

4 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

5 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

6 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

7 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

8 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

9 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

10 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

11 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。

12 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。