Congress may seek to cut the pension(退休金) of Barack Obama following his decision to accept a $400,000 fee for a speech to Wall Street workers.
During his time in the White House, Mr Obama vetoed(否决) a bill that would have reduced the retirement funds of former presidents if they accept large amounts of outside income. Now that Mr Obama himself meets those condition, Republican sponsors of the bill have said they hope that President Donald Trump will sign(签署) the bill into law.
"The Obama’s attitude on this issue reveals," Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and sponsor of the 2016 bill told USA Today. "His veto was very selfish."
The bill would set presidential pensions at $200,000, plus the same for expenses. But those payments would be reduced dollar-for-dollar once their outside income is more than $400,000. When it was first introduced last year, Mr Obama vetoed the bill on the basis that it would force former presidents to fire their support staff.
Currently the General Services Administration must provide "suitable office space, furnished and equipped". The total cost of maintaining and staffing those offices currently ranges from $430,000 for former president Jimmy Carter to $1.1 million for former president George W. Bush, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The 2017 spending bill approved by Congress this week contained nearly $3.9 million to fund all the former presidents until September 30.
Mr Trump has not commented on this. But during the campaign, he said he would take a close look at pensions for elected officials.
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1.What caused the suggestion to cut Obama’s pension?
A His veto to the bill last year.
B The high cost to support the former president.
C His decision to accept a $400,000 fee for a speech.
D He has been offered with suitable office space.
解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第一段Congress may seek to cut the pension of Barack Obama following his decision to accept a $400,000 fee for a speech to Wall Street workers. 可知是因为奥巴马决定接受有劳演讲的邀请才导致有人提出削减前总统退休金的法案的，故选C。
2.How does Jason Chaffetz think of Obama’s veto?
A It’s great.
B It’s clever.
C It’s acceptable.
D It’s selfish.
解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第三段最后一句His veto was very selfish.可知Jason Chaffetz认为奥巴马的这一反对是自私的，故选D。
3.How much at most would the president get from the government according to the bill?
A $200,000.
B $400,000.
C $600,000.
D $800,000.
解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第四段第一句The bill would set presidential pensions at $200,000, plus the same for expenses.可知前总统不仅可以获得20万美元的退休金，还可以获得相同数额的其他开销费用，因此每年可以从政府获取40万美元的各种费用，故选B。
4.Which of the following is NOT a former US president?
A Barack Obama.
B Jimmy Carter.
C George W. Bush.
D Donald Trump.
解析：选D。推理判断题。根据第四段可知吉米·卡特、乔治·W·布什都是前美国总统，由第二段可知奥巴马是美国前总统，由第二段和最后一段可知特朗普是美国现任总统，故选D。
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A Trump may have a look at the bill afterwards.
B Former presidents are still serving the government.
C Trump promised to cut the former presidents’ pension.
D Former presidents have to fire their support staff after leaving the office.
解析：选A。推理判断题。根据最后一段内容Mr Trump has not commented on this. But during the campaign, he said he'd take a close look at pensions for elected officials.可知特朗普还未对此事作回应，但是其在选举期间曾说过要削减前总统的退休金，因此他可能稍后会仔细研究此事，故选A。
