U.S. President Barack Obama is turning to the nation's governors for help in meeting his domestic priorities. State leaders came to the White House for closed-door discussions on the economy, health care and education.
The private meeting began with a few public remarks by the president, in which he focused on issues of vital interest to the governors. He said they are working together to rebuild the economy, after a series of emergency measures to end the recession and help key industries survive.
在这次私下会议开始时，奥巴马总统公开发表讲话，着重谈到州长们最关心的一些问题。奥巴马说，在采取了一系列紧急措施来结束经济衰退，并帮助主要行业生存下来之后，他们正在共同努力重建经济。
Mr. Obama said he understands the toll the recession took on state governments that found themselves with less tax revenue and a rising need for services.
奥巴马说，他明白经济衰退给州政府带来的影响，主要是税收的减少以及服务需求的增加。
"Overall, the economy is in a better place than it was a year ago," he said. "We were contracting by six percent. We are now growing by six percent. But I know that your states are still in a very tough situation and too many Americans still have not felt the recovery in their own lives."
奥巴马说：“总的来说，经济形势相比一年前有好转。那时我们的经济收缩了6%，而现在我们的经济增长率为6%。但是我知道，各州仍然面临很严峻的形势，很多美国人仍然无法在自己的生活中感受到经济复苏。”
The president spoke about ongoing efforts to create jobs. He also talked about actions to put America on a stronger economic footing in the future, by improving education standards across the country.
奥巴马总统谈到创造就业机会的持续努力。他也谈到了通过提高全国的教育水准为美国未来更强大的经济奠定基础而采取的行动。
He said America's "primacy in the world" is at stake.
奥巴马说，这事关美国在世界的首要地位。
"I do not accept a United States of America that is second place," he said. "That means that all of us have to work together to make sure that we are taking seriously the investments we make in our children's future."
他说：“我不会接受美国落到世界第二的位置。这意味着我们所有人都要一起努力，确保我们认真对待为我们孩子的未来进行的投资。”
States and local governments provide most of the funding for the nation's schools.
Mr. Obama offered help. He said he wants to change existing law so the federal government can give states aid for poor students. But he said the money would come with strings attached.
"We will ask all states to put in place a plan to adopt and certify standards that are college and career-ready in reading and math," he said.
The president said he wants a dialogue with states on education reform. He said he also wants to hear ideas from the governors on improving the nation's health-care system to improve access and affordability.
奥巴马说，他希望能就教育改革一事与各州展开对话。他同时表示，希望听取各州州长对于国家医疗改革的意见和建议，以改善医保的普及率和费用。
Just moments before he opened the meeting with the governors, the White House released a new set of proposals for health-care reform.
据悉，就在奥巴马会见各州州长前夕，白宫刚刚重新提出了一份医保改革方案。
With reform efforts effectively stalled in the Senate, Mr. Obama has invited Congressional leaders from both major political parties to a meeting Thursday to try to get the process moving again.
由于改革努力在参议院实际上受到阻碍，奥巴马邀请了国会中两党主要成员参加星期四的会议，从而推动新议案的通过。
Republican lawmakers appear skeptical, but Republican governors say they are sharing ideas with their Democratic counterparts on the state level.
共和党议员对新议案多持批判态度，但共和党州长表示愿意在各州层面上与民主党对手探讨对新议案的看法。
"We hope as this debate goes forward we will have a chance to meet with you and your administration and the Congressional ideas that work that states can implement, so we can all work together," said Republican Jim Douglas of Vermont, Chairman of the National Governors Association.
来自佛蒙特州的共和党州长吉姆.道格拉斯是现任美国州长协会主席。他说：“我们希望随着辩论进一步展开，能有机会同总统和政府成员会面，通过共同努力，促使针对各州的法案能够得到有效实施。”
Douglas said governors are approaching the issue in a bipartisan way. He said they all want to improve the health and well-being of their constituents.
道格拉斯还说，各州州长在新议案问题上会从两党共同利益出发，以提高联邦的医疗保障和福利体系为目标。 |