VOA双语新闻 2008年2月：布什促参院尽快批准经济

President Bush says U.S. Senators must move quickly to approve a $146 billion economic stimulus 1 plan already passed by the House of Representatives. The U.S. economy lost jobs last month for the first time in more than four years.

布什总统星期五说，美国参议院必须迅速采取行动，批准1460亿美元的经济刺激计划。众议院已经通过了有关方案。不过，美国经济上个月出现工作减少，为过去4年多来的第一次。



President Bush says it is a serious matter that after 52 months of consecutive 2 job growth, the U.S. economy lost 17,000 jobs in January. The Labor 3 Department says the biggest drops came from factory, building, and government payrolls 4, which were only partially 5 offset 6 by gains in service industries.

布什总统说，在就业连续52个月增长之后，美国经济1月份丧失工作1万7千个，是个非常严峻的问题。劳工部说，就业减少最多的是工厂、建筑业和政府部门，其中部分工作丧失被服务业出现的增长所抵消。



The president told supporters in Kansas City that while America's economic fundamentals remain strong, there are serious signs that the economy is weakening. Higher fuel costs and a declining housing market have hurt the economy. Growth in the fourth quarter of last year was 0.6 percent.

布什总统在堪萨斯城对支持者说，虽然美国经济的基本面仍然很强劲，一些严重的迹象表明经济正在日趋疲软。燃料成本居高不下和房市萎靡不振正伤害着美国经济。去年第4季度美国经济增长仅为0.6%。



Mr. Bush says the economy needs targeted tax cuts to encourage consumers and business leaders to spend more money to stimulate 8 growth.

布什说，经济需要有针对性的减税，来鼓励消费者和企业增加支出，刺激发展。



A bipartisan package of tax cuts and incentives 9 negotiated by the White House has already passed the House of Representatives. But Republicans and Democrats 10 in the Senate want to add to the plan, slowing its passage.

一个经白宫协调的跨党派的减税计划和刺激方案已经在众议院获得批准。但是参议院的民主、共和两党议员希望对这个计划加以补充，从而拖延了有关法案在国会的通过。



President Bush says much of the plan's ability to stimulate the economy depends on it being approved quickly, and he is calling for decisive action.

布什总统说，这个计划刺激经济的大部分能力取决于批准和实施的速度。他呼吁参议院采取果断的行动。



"It's very important for the Senate to finish their work quickly, because the sooner we can get money into our consumers' hands the more likely it is that the economy will recover from this period of uncertainty," he said. "The fundamentals are strong. We are just in a rough patch, as witnessed by employment figures today. I am confident we can get through this rough patch and one way to do it is for Congress and the administration to work collaboratively and get this deal done."

布什说：“参议院尽快完成他们的批准程序非常重要，因为我们早一天让消费者拿到钱，经济就更有可能摆脱目前的不确定性，恢复过来。经济的基本面强劲，只不过陷入困难时期，今天出炉的就业数字说明了这一点。不过我坚信，我们能度过难关，其中的一条出路就是国会和政府齐心协力，促成这个经济刺激计划的早日通过。”



The House of Representatives' $146 billion plan includes a $600 rebate 11 for many taxpayers 12 plus $300 per child. The Senate wants $500 refunds 13 for twice as many people, including disabled veterans and older Americans who are not included in the House plan.

根据众议院通过的1460亿美元的计划，很多纳税人将得到600美元的退税，有孩子的家庭每个孩子还会多得到300美元的退税。参议院希望纳税人得到的退税金额为500美元，但涵盖的人数则增加一倍，包括众议院方案中没有列入的残疾退伍军人和老年美国人。



Some Senate Democrats also want to extend unemployment benefits, food aid, and home heating assistance. President Bush has stopped short of threatening to veto the Senate's $157 billion stimulus plan. Vice 7 President Dick Cheney says any changes could derail the bill altogether.

一些参议员还希望扩大失业救济、食物补助以及住房取暖补贴。布什总统没有威胁要否决参议院提出的1570亿美元的刺激计划。但是副总统切尼说，任何改变都可能使整个计划毁于一旦。



The Senate is expected to begin a series of votes on its stimulus plan in the coming week.

预计参议院将在下个星期开始就其刺激计划进行投票。