VOA标准英语2008年-Bill to Overhaul US Wiretap Law Clears Senate H

Legislation to revise U.S. surveillance law survived a key test vote in the Senate Wednesday, despite opposition¹ from some majority Democrats³ to a provision protecting telephone companies from possible privacy lawsuits⁴. The Senate could give final approval to the bill and send it to President Bush for his signature before a congressional recess⁵ next week. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.
　
Satellite wiretapping

Senators voted 80 to 15 to proceed to the legislation - 20 more than the 60 votes necessary under Senate rules.

The bill, which updates the 1978 Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act (FISA), would expand the government's powers to eavesdrop⁶ on terrorism suspects while at the same time take steps to safeguard civil liberties.

"We have produced a strong, smart policy that will meet the needs of our intelligence community and protect America's cherished civil liberties," said Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat² and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The bill would grant retroactive legal immunity⁷ to telephone companies that allegedly took part in the Bush administration's warrantless wiretap program following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks - but only after a federal court determines they received legitimate⁸ requests from the government to participate in the program.

That provision has some Democrats furious. "This bill is not a compromise. It is a capitulation. This bill will effectively and unjustifiably grant immunity to companies that allegedly participated in an illegal wiretapping program," said Senator Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat.

Phone companies face some 40 lawsuits over their reported participation⁹ in the wiretap program.

The bill also would require government authorities to obtain individual court orders to wiretap Americans who are outside the United States and require a special court to give advance approval to the government's procedures for wiretapping operations.

At least one Republican, Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, takes issue with that provision. "The idea that the executive branch of the government needs the explicit¹⁰ approval of the judiciary branch before collecting foreign intelligence information from foreign citizens in foreign countries is simply wrong-headed, and is contrary to our constitutional principles," he said.

The bill would allow electronic eavesdropping¹¹ on American targets without court orders in what are designated as emergency situations, allowing the government to submit justifications¹² within one week.

The legislation was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives last week, and President Bush has said he would sign it. The measure would replace a temporary surveillance law that had expired in February.

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 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》

4 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

5 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

6 eavesdrop   

v.偷听，倾听

参考例句：

• He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.他藏在壁橱里，以便偷听。
• It is not polite to eavesdrop on the conversation of other people.偷听他人说话是很不礼貌的。

7 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

8 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

9 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

10 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

11 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

12 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。