2007年VOA标准英语-Microsoft's Gates Urges US to Seek More High-Sk

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
07 March 2007

The chairman of the giant U.S. software company Microsoft is calling on the U.S. government to attract more high-skilled foreign workers to the United States to keep the country competitive in a global economy.  Bill Gates made his comments in testimony¹ before a Senate panel Wednesday, as VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

Bill Gates expressed concern about the U.S. immigration system, saying limits on the number of visas for high-skilled workers, bureaucratic² delays in processing them and exhaustive security checks following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are deterring³ talented foreign workers from seeking jobs in the United States.

In testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor⁴ and Pensions Committee, Gates warned that the United States could risk losing its competitive edge to other countries if Congress does not reform the immigration system.

Bill Gates testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, 7 March 2007

"Countries like Canada and Australia have been beneficiaries of our system, which discourages these people [high skilled foreign workers] with both the limits and the long waits, and what the process feels like as they go through the security checks," he said.

In the coming weeks, Congress is expected to consider immigration reform legislation, including efforts to attract more high-skilled workers and streamline⁵ the visa application process.

Gates said he believes it is possible to do background security checks without having the process become too burdensome. 

He also called for ways to make it easier for more high-skilled workers to become permanent residents to help retain talent, particularly in the information technology, or IT, field.

"The IT industry I guarantee will be in the United States to the degree that smart people are here in the United States, and that is why I believe it is important to maximize that number [of high-skilled foreign workers]," he added.

Gates urged lawmakers to find ways to keep foreign students in the United States, saying if the country is going to invest in educating them, it should also benefit from that investment by encouraging them to work here.

He urged the federal government to invest more money in education and training, and in research and development (R&D).

"Federal research funding is vital," he explained.  "Unfortunately, while other countries and regions, such as China and the European Union, are increasing their public investment in R & D, federal research spending in the United States is not keeping pace."

Gates suggested an increase of 10 percent annually⁶ in U.S. funding for research for the next seven years.

He also urged more teacher training and higher math curriculum standards.  He said the nation should set a goal of doubling the number of science, technology and math graduates by 2015.

1 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

2 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。

3 deterring   

v.阻止，制止( deter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• However, investors say are a number of issues deterring business. 然而，投资者表示，有很多问题让他们却步。 来自互联网
• It's an effective way of deterring potential does online, the logic goes. 逻辑上这是抑制潜在线上威胁的有效方法。 来自互联网

4 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。

5 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。