VOA标准英语2010年-Crucial Week for Obama, Congress on US

President Barack Obama has an intense week ahead as he and leaders of his Democratic Party in Congress prepare for a crucial vote on health-care reform.  The president used a speech in the Midwestern state of Ohio to drive home his points about the importance of passing health care legislation.

U.S. President Barack Obama traveled to the Cleveland, Ohio suburb of Strongsville to deliver his latest speech on the urgency of health-care reform.  Ohio is home to Natoma Canfield, a cancer patient who says she gave up her health insurance because of sharp premium¹ increases.

It is a story President Obama and aides have spotlighted², including an instance in which the president sat down with insurance company executives at the White House, reading them a letter Canfield had sent him.

The president told the audience in Ohio that Natoma Canfield's story, and that of other Americans facing hardships because of medical bills they cannot pay, is the reason to reject Republican Party calls to oppose his health-care reform.

"When you hear people saying that this is not the "right time", you think of what she is going through," said President Obama. "When you hear people talk about, well what does this mean for the Democrats³, what does this mean for the Republicans, I do not know how the polls are doing.  When you hear people who are more worried about the politics of it then what is right and what is wrong I want you to think about Natoma and the millions of people across this country who are looking for some help and looking for some relief, that is why we need health-insurance reform, right now!

Notoma Canfield, who is now receiving chemotherapy in a hospital, was represented at the health-care rally by her sister Connie Anderson.

"We have seen what will happen without reform," said Connie Anderson. "Premiums⁴ will continue to rise, insurance companies will not be held accountable for their abuses, and hard-working Americans like my sister Natoma will suffer."

The president delayed his Asia-Pacific trip by three days to remain in Washington for these crucial final days of the health-care reform drama.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi is aiming for an end of week vote in which the chamber⁵ would approve a $875-billion version of health-care reform the U.S. Senate approved last December. 

It will then be up to a delicate arrangement with the Senate to pass a separate package of changes to the legislation, using a procedure opposed by Republicans that would allow approval with only a simple 51-vote majority, rather than 60 votes.

A key challenge Democrats have faced is opposition⁶ from some party conservatives who objected to abortion-related language in the Senate measure.

The president has also faced complaints from far left Democrats who have pressed from the start for a government-managed health insurance option.  One such lawmaker, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich, flew with the president aboard Air Force One to Ohio. 

Republicans continue their unanimous opposition to the president on health-care reform. 

In the weekly Republican address to the nation, newly-elected Senator Scott Brown presented his party's position that most Americans oppose the president and would like him to focus on job creation.

"Nothing has distracted the attention and energy of the nation's capital more than this disastrous⁷ detour," said Scott Brown. "And the surest way to return to the people's business is to listen to the people themselves."

Democrats face the prospect⁸ that failure to approve President Obama's major agenda priority could open them to significant losses in mid-term congressional elections in November.  Republicans say passing the legislation would cause a public backlash that would lead them to gains in the House and Senate.

But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has said the administration would be happy to have the 2010 mid-term election be about the achievement of health-care reform.

 

1 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

2 spotlighted   

v.聚光照明( spotlight的过去式和过去分词 )；使公众注意，使突出醒目

参考例句：

• The report has spotlighted real deprivation in the inner cities. 这篇报道披露了旧城区的贫困真相。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The paintings were spotlighted from below. 这些画用下面的聚光灯来照明。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 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。

7 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。