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US Congress Faces Deadline on Domestic Security Funding

After a weeklong recess, the U.S. Congress gets back to work facing a deadline: funding for domestic security operations expires at the end of the month. A Republican attempt to block President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration has been a sticking point in authorizing new spending for the Department of Homeland Security.

Another day and another terrorist threat: this one from Africa-based al-Shabaab, responsible for a deadly 2013 attack on a shopping mall in Kenya, and now claiming to have Minnesota’s Mall of America in its sights.

The threat highlights the need to keep domestic security operations funded, according to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

“It is imperative that we have a budget for the Department of Homeland Security, which is due to expire at the end of the week,” said Johnson.

For weeks, Democrats have blocked Senate consideration of a House-passed DHS bill that would block President Obama’s executive order shielding millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation. Democrats, and some Senate Republicans, are calling for a “clean” funding bill with no strings (stipulations) attached.

That is a non-starter, according to House Speaker John Boehner.

“The House has done its job. We have passed a bill that funds the department and stops the president’s unilateral actions with regard to immigration," said Boehner. "It is up to Senate Democrats to do their job.”

But the firestorm over immigration could be tempered by last week’s action by a federal court to put the president’s executive action on hold.

“I am willing and ready to pass a DHS funding bill and let this (immigration battle) play out in court," said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. "The worst possible outcome for this nation is to defund the Department of Homeland Security given the multiple threats we face to our homeland.”

Graham said Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, will be blamed if funding lapses and the United States suffers an attack.

词汇解析

respond

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.回答；响应；反应；反应灵敏；反响

n.[建]壁联；[宗]应唱圣歌

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

I invited her to dinner but she did not respond.

我请她吃晚饭，但她未作回答。

The professor lectured with a beaming countenance, but the students didn't respond much, only agreeing with what he said.

教授讲得眉飞色舞，学生们却没有太大的反响，只是随声应和。

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freely

英汉解释

adv.自由地；免费地；直率地；大量地

参考例句

用作副词 (adv.)

The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely.

伍德斯托克一代试图自由地赶时髦。

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rival

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.竞争者；对手；同伴

adj.竞争的

v.竞争；与 ... 相匹敌

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

He is hound out of his job by jealous rival.

他受到忌妒他的竞争者的算计而被迫离职。

用作形容词 (adj.)

He was utterly unscrupulous in his competition with rival firms.

他与对立公司竞争完全不讲道德。

用作动词 (v.)

Ships can't rival aircraft for speed.

轮船在速度方面无法与飞机匹敌。

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feature

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.特征；特色；容貌；特写；故事片

vt.以 ... 为特色

vi.起重要作用

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Their candor is a very pleasing feature.

他们的坦白是很愉快的特征。

用作及物动词 (vt.)

This restaurant seems to feature vegetarian dishes.

这家餐厅似乎以素菜为其特色。

用作不及物动词 (vi.)

Jazz and Blues feature prominently in the magazine.

爵士和蓝调在杂志中占重要篇幅。

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universal

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.普遍的；全世界的；宇宙的；全体的；通用的

n.通用

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

A universal theory cannot be induced from a finite number of facts.

一项宇宙的学说不能从有限数目的事实归纳而得。

Americans strongly favour the introduction of universal health care.

美国人强烈赞同推行覆盖全体国民的医保制度。

用作名词 (n.)

English is a universal language.

英语是一种世界通用的语言。

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remains

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.剩余物；遗迹；遗体

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

After the wheat crop has been gathered, many farmers burn the remains and plough the ash into the soil, so as to enrich it.

小麦收割完成后，农夫们把剩余物烧掉，然后用犁把灰埋入地里，使土地更肥沃。

Choi's remains true today for cremation.

崔真实的遗体今天进行火葬。

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demand

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.要求；需求

v.要求；查问；需要

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The demand for coal begins to slacken off in the spring.

煤的需求在春天开始减少。

用作动词 (v.)

All these questions demand careful and detailed study.

这些都需要认真具体的研究。

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