IN THE NEWS - Fight Over Spending Is Just Beginning in Washington
This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。
A week ago, the United States government was preparing to suspend some of its operations for lack of a budget. But late last Friday, negotiators reached a deal. This Thursday, both houses of Congress approved it and sent it to President Obama to sign into law.
一周以前，由于预算短缺，美国政府已准备暂停一些政府运作。但上周五晚些时候，（预算）谈判达成了协议。本周四，美国国会两院通过了预算案并将其交给奥巴马签署生效。
SOUND: "On this vote, the yeas are eighty-one, the nays are nineteen. The bill is passed."
声音：“在这次投票中，81票赞成，19票反对。法案获得通过。”
That was the vote in the Senate. The measure provides money through the end of the budget year in September. It cuts more than thirty-eight billion dollars in non-defense spending. Negotiators cut more than most Democratic Party lawmakers wanted, but less than most Republicans wanted.
这是在参议院的表决结果。该法案为截至9月结束的（2011）财年提供资金，它在非国防开支方面削减超过380亿美元。双方谈判代表削减的预算超出了民主党议员的想要的，但低于共和党想要的数额。
Fifty-nine Republicans in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted against the deal. Many were elected last November with support from the conservative Tea Party coalition. House Speaker John Boehner said the bill is not perfect, but a good start.
在共和党控制的众议院中，有59名共和党议员反对这项法案，他们大部分是去年11月在保守党茶党联盟的支持下当选的议员。众议院议长约翰·博纳（John Boehner）表示，这一法案并不完美，但这是一个好的开端。
On Friday, Republicans in the House passed a plan by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. The plan aims for six trillion dollars in savings over ten years, starting in twenty-twelve. But the plan faces strong opposition in the Senate, where Democrats are in control.
上周五，众议院共和党人通过了由预算委员会主席保罗·瑞安（Paul Ryan）提出的一项计划。该计划旨在未来十年节省6万亿美元。但该计划在民主党人控制的参议院中面临强烈反对。
President Obama condemned the Republican plan earlier this week. Instead he called for four trillion dollars in government spending cuts and higher taxes for wealthy Americans over twelve years.
奥巴马本周早些时候谴责了共和党人提出的这项计划。与之相反，他呼吁未来12年削减4万亿政府开支并提高富人税收。
A major part of the Ryan plan would change Medicare from a program that directly pays medical bills for retired people. Instead, people would get money to buy health insurance from private companies.
瑞安计划的主要部分将把医疗保险从一个直接支付退休人员医疗费用的程序，改为政府为人们购买私营公司的医疗保险提供资金。
The idea is that competition would save money. But Democrats say the plan would increase costs for older adults and end the forty-six-year-old Medicare program as it now exists. The Ryan plan would also reduce money for Medicaid, a joint federal and state health care program for the poor and disabled.
该想法是竞争能省钱。但民主党人说，这项计划会增加老年人的开支，并终结有着46年历史的医疗保险程序。瑞安计划还将减少（美国联邦）医疗补助计划（Medicaid）的资金，Medicaid是一个由联邦政府和州政府联合为穷人和残疾人提供的卫生保健程序。
Congress and the president must now turn their attention to issues like the budget for next year and the debt limit. The debt limit is the amount of money that the government is permitted to borrow. The current limit is more than fourteen trillion dollars -- nearly equal to all the goods and services produced in the United States in a year.
国会和总统现在必须把注意力转向来年预算和国债限额一类的问题。国债限额是指政府允许借款的总额。目前的限额超过了14万亿美元，几乎等同于美国一年生产的所有商品和服务。
The government is expected to reach that limit next month. But the Treasury Department cannot borrow more money by selling bonds unless Congress acts.
预计政府将于下月触及国债限额。但除非国会通过，否则财政部无法通过出售债券借来更多资金。
Republicans are threatening to reject Mr. Obama's request to raise the debt limit unless he agrees to bigger spending cuts. But Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says the United States might miss payments on its debts and create another economic crisis.
共和党人威胁要否决奥巴马提高国债限额的申请，除非奥巴马同意加大削减支出。但财政部长盖特纳说，美国可能无法偿付债务引发另一次经济危机。
TIMOTHY GEITHNER: "I think it would make the crisis we just went through look modest in comparison. "
盖特纳：“我认为，相比之下，它将使我们刚刚经历的危机看起来很是温和。”
译者注：句中的“它”指美国无法偿付债务引发的经济危机，意思是跟美国债务违约引起的经济危机相比，最近这次经济危机简直不值一提。
Steve Hess at Moody's Investor Service says if lenders were really worried, they would raise the interest rates they charge on loans to the government.
穆迪投资服务公司的史蒂夫·赫斯（Steve Hess）表示，如果贷方真的担心（美国违约），他们就会提高投资政府债券的利率。
STEVE HESS: "If you look at the market, it does not seem that the wrangling so far has had a big effect on the government's cost of borrowing. "
赫斯：“假如你看一看市场就会发现，迄今为止，这些争吵并没有对政府的借贷成本造成很大影响。” |