（每日一读）2014年高考英语8月考前突破 阅读理解能力 社会生活 美国政府禁止官员参加冰桶挑战素材

美国政府禁止官员参加冰桶挑战The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge might be a viral phenomenon, but some of official Washington's ethics police are throwing cold water on diplomats and House members taking part in the cause.尽管“冰桶挑战赛”已经在全球掀起一股热潮，然而，美国政府道德委员会的官员却给参加挑战的美国外交官和议员们浇了“一头冰水”。 The Associated Press reports the State Department's lawyers have banned US ambassadors and high-profile workers stationed overseas from participating in the challenge, which uses videos shared on Twitter, Facebook and other social media to raise awareness of the incurable disease. A House committee sent a reminder about a rule against using official resources to promote a private charity. The Military Times reports the Pentagon has issued a warning that says service members and civilian defense employees can't participate while in uniform. An unclassified cable obtained by the AP on Thursday says the ice bucket challenge is against federal ethics rules. "There are firmly established rules preventing the use of public office, such as our ambassadors, for private gain, no matter how worthy a cause," reads the State Department cable, sent last week. "Thus, high-ranking State Department officials are unfortunately unable to participate in the ice bucket challenge." The State Department missive follows a House Administration Committee e-mail sent this week warning lawmakers of a rule in the ethics manual that prohibits using "official resources for the promotion or benefit of any private charitable cause." The House e-mail was first reported by Politico. For House members, that means it's OK to use campaign funds and a campaign Twitter or Facebook account to share an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video -- but not the official ones tied to the congressional office. Some House lawmakers have been deleting their bucket challenge videos and tweets from their official accounts, according to the Quartz.com news site. More than $41 million has been raised by the ALS Association since July 29 to help strike Atromyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.