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美国失业者2014处境艰难

Five years after the financial crisis, many indicators¹ suggest a recovery is finally taking hold in the world’s largest economy. U.S. gross domestic product is growing at its fastest pace in two years, and unemployment has fallen to pre-crisis levels. Despite the prognostications, 2014 may prove to be a difficult year for some unemployed² Americans.

金融危机已经持续5年了，很多指标显示，世界第一经济大国终于开始复苏。美国国民生产总值增长速度达到了2年来最高水平，失业率也下降到金融危机前的水平。可是尽管预测乐观，对美国的部分失业者来说，2014年可能会是艰难的一年。

We met Kathy Biscotti on New Year’s day.

我们在元旦这天见到了凯西?比斯科蒂。

I’m 51-years-old, born, bred, raised in Baltimore. My father was a plumber³, my mother was a nurse. I’ve worked my whole life for everything I’ve ever had," said Biscotti.

失业者凯西?比斯科蒂说：“我今年51岁，在巴尔的摩出生和长大。我父亲是水暖工，母亲是护士，我这辈子都靠自己工作养活自己。”

Kathy lost her job as an office assistant six months ago. She received her last unemployment check on December 31st.

6个月前，凯西失去了秘书工作，12月31号她领到了最后一份失业救济金。

"I received on Tuesday $332 and now I have to decide what to do. If I give it to my landlord, then I have no money at all," she said.

比斯科蒂说：“星期二我领到了332美元，现在我要决定怎么花，如果用来交房租，那我就身无分文了。”

Biscotti is one of 1.3 million Americans grappling with the same dilemma⁴. Congress allowed their extended unemployment benefits to lapse⁵ on December 28th - because conservative lawmakers said extending benefits beyond the standard 26 weeks makes people less likely to look for work.

美国有130万人和比斯科蒂一样在同样的困境中挣扎。国会通过12月28号后不再延长领取失业救济金的期限，因为保守派议员说，领取救济金的标准期限为26周，延长这个期限，人们找工作的可能性就会减少。

Among them: Republican Senator Rand Paul - who spoke⁶ on Fox News.

共和党参议员兰德?保罗就是保守派之一，他在福克斯新闻节目上说：

“If you extend it beyond that, you do a disservice to these workers," said Paul.

 “如果延长这个标准期限，你是在给那些工人帮倒忙。”

But advocates for the unemployed say that’s not true. Christine Owens, executive director at the National Employment Law Project, says the majority of the four million Americans who receive benefits want to work.

不过支持失业者权益的人说，这不是事实。全国就业法项目主任克莉丝汀?欧文斯说，美国400万领取救济金的人中，大部分是想要工作的。

“These are not folks who are just sort of sitting around on their couch watching TV and eating Christmas candies. These are people who have made a full time job out of trying to find another job," said Owens.

全国就业法项目的克莉丝汀?欧文斯说：“这些人并不是只坐在沙发上看电视，吃圣诞节糖果；这些人有一份全职工作，他们试图另谋高就。

For Biscotti - that's 10 to 20 job applications per week.

比斯科蒂每星期发出10到20份求职书。

“I applied⁷ for a job yesterday. There were 865 applications went in for that one job," she said.

比斯科蒂说：“我昨天还在申请工作，总共有865人去申请那同一份工作。”

Without benefits, Biscotti fears she could soon be homeless, unable to afford food or even bus fare for job interviews. Her New Year's resolution is to find work.

没有救济金，比斯科蒂担心她很快就会无家可归，买不起食物，甚至没钱坐车去接受面试。

"I hope that things turn around in 2014 and I find a job. But I’m pretty much hopeless, in despair, discouraged, ashamed," said Biscotti.

比斯科蒂说：“我希望2014年会有转机，我能找到工作，可是我很绝望，沮丧，羞愧。”

Lawmakers have extended long term benefits 11 times, something President Obama insists Congress needs to do when lawmakers return from holiday recess⁸.

议员们已经11次延长了领取长期救济金的时间，奥巴马总统坚持要求议员们休假回来后，国会要再次延长期限。

“I think we're a better country than that. We don't abandon each other when times are tough," said President Obama.

美国总统奥巴马说：“我认为我们的国家可以做得比这更好，我们不能在困难的时候相互抛弃。”

A bipartisan group is expected to introduce a three month extension when Congress resumes work. But proponents⁹ say it could be a tough sell.

预计，国会复会后，一个两党小组将提出把期限延长3个星期的议案，不过支持者说，这个议案很难通过。

Support for extended benefits has waned¹⁰ as the economy has improved. But despite recent job gains, the number of Americans unemployed 27 weeks or longer remains¹¹ at a record high - representing about 40 percent of all unemployed Americans.

随着经济改善，支持延长期限的人数在减少，可是尽管最近就业机会增加，美国失业长达27周或以上的人数仍然居高不下，他们占所有失业人数的大约40%。