2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Names Leaders of Walter Reed Commission

By Scott Stearns
Washington
06 March 2007

U.S. President George Bush has named the heads of a bipartisan commission that will investigate the quality of health care for America's military veterans. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

President Bush gestures while speaking at the American Legion 47th National Conference, in Washington, 6 March 2007

The president is reacting to a scandal uncovered by the Washington Post newspaper, which found recuperating¹ soldiers living in run-down buildings infested² with mice, mold, and cockroaches³.

Veterans and family members testified to Congress about what they say has been callous⁴ treatment and bureaucratic⁵ delays in scheduling appointments and disability benefits at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center outside Washington.

In a speech to the nation's largest veterans' group, the American Legion, President Bush said America has a moral obligation to provide the best possible care for those injured in combat.

"My decisions have put our kids in harms way," he said. "And I am concerned about the fact that when they come back they do not get the full treatment they deserve."

The president says doctors, nurses, and therapists at Walter Reed work day and night to help the wounded.

"Yet some of our troops at Walter Reed have experienced bureaucratic delays and living conditions that are less than they deserve. It is unacceptable to me. It is unacceptable to you. It is unacceptable to our country. And it is not going to continue," he added.

The president announced a nine-member commission to review the care of wounded soldiers from the battlefield through their return to civilian⁶ life.

The bipartisan panel will be co-chaired by former Senator Bob Dole⁷ and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. Both will meet with Mr. Bush at the White House Wednesday. The other members of the commission will be announced in the coming days.

The general who ran Walter Reed Hospital and the secretary of the army have both resigned over the scandal, which is especially embarrassing for the president as he regularly visits wounded troops at the facility.

While his overall approval ratings have fallen over the war in Iraq, the president has generally retained the support of military veterans. He told the American Legion the war in Iraq is part of a broader struggle against extremists who want to attack the United States.

1 recuperating   

v.恢复（健康、体力等），复原( recuperate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He's still recuperating from his operation. 他动了手术，还在恢复。
• He is recuperating from a serious back injury. 他背部受了重伤，目前正在康复中。 来自辞典例句

2 infested   

adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于

参考例句：

• The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
• The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

3 cockroaches   

n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At night, the cockroaches filled the house with their rustlings. 夜里，屋里尽是蟑螂窸窸瑟瑟的声音。 来自辞典例句
• It loves cockroaches, and can keep a house clear of these hated insects. 它们好食蟑螂，可以使住宅免除这些讨厌昆虫的骚扰。 来自百科语句

4 callous   

adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的

参考例句：

• He is callous about the safety of his workers.他对他工人的安全毫不关心。
• She was selfish,arrogant and often callous.她自私傲慢，而且往往冷酷无情。

5 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 dole   

n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给

参考例句：

• It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。
• Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。