U.S. President Barack Obama says the nation's governors will be held accountable for money flowing into their states as part of his economic stimulus plan. The money should start arriving this week.
美国总统奥巴马星期一向全国州长协会(National Governors Association)发表讲话说，作为经济刺激计划的一部分，各州州长必须对注入本州的联邦资金负责。联邦政府发放的资金将从这个星期开始陆续流入全国各州。
The plan includes billions of dollars to help states hard hit by the recession keep important programs and services in operation.
奥巴马总统提出的经济刺激计划包括向那些受到经济衰退重创的州提供数十亿美元来确保一些重要的项目和服务能够正常运行。
The first money to flow from Washington will be used to help states provide health care for those in need.
来自首都华盛顿的第一笔资金将用于帮助各州向那些陷入困境的居民提供医疗保健。
The president says $15 billion will be transferred from the federal government to state coffers on Wednesday.
奥巴马总统说，星期三，150亿美元的资金将从联邦政府转移到州政府手里。
"Children with asthma will be able to breathe easier, seniors won't need to fear losing their doctors, and pregnant women with limited means won't have to worry about the health of their babies," he said.
他说：“这样一来，有哮喘病的儿童将得以较为轻松地呼吸，老年人将不必担心失去他们的医生，手头拮据的怀孕妇女将不必为她们婴儿的健康感到担心。”
During a meeting with most of the 50 governors at the White House, President Obama stressed the importance of accountability.
奥巴马总统在白宫会见了来自美国50个州的绝大多数州长，并且向他们强调了责任的重要性。
He said when it comes to implementing the $787 billion stimulus package there is no room for error.
他指出，在落实7870亿美元的经济刺激方案时，必须做到一丝不苟。
"We are addressing the greatest economic crisis we have seen in decades by investing unprecedented amounts of the American peoples' hard earned money," he said. "With that comes an unprecedented obligation to do so wisely, free from politics and personal agendas."
奥巴马说：“为了解决这场几十年来最严重的经济危机，我们正在把这笔金额空前的美国人民辛苦挣来的钱用于投资。随之而来的则是一个史无前例的义务，那就是要精明地花好这笔钱，把政治和个人打算放在一边。”
Mr. Obama said he is naming Earl Devaney, a government official who exposed corruption and waste at the U.S. Interior Department to head a new office that will monitor the distribution and use of stimulus funds. And he said Vice President Joe Biden will oversee the implementation of the plan.
奥巴马总统说，他任命厄尔.德瓦尼出任一个新的办公室的主任，这个办公室将负责监督经济刺激资金的发放和使用。德瓦尼在联邦政府内务部任职期间曾经大力揭露贪污和浪费行为。奥巴马总统还说，副总统拜登将负责经济刺激计划的执行。
"And the fact that I am asking my vice president to personally lead this effort shows how important it is for our country and our future to get this right," he said.
他说：“我请求我的副总统亲自领导这个工作，这件事本身就说明：把这个工作做好，对于我们的国家和我们的未来来讲，是多么的重要。”
Governors from the president's own Democratic Party are strongly supportive of the stimulus package. Republican governors are more divided, with some refusing to take part of the money set aside for their states, while others are backing the president.
民主党籍的州长们都大力支持奥巴马总统的经济刺激方案。但是在共和党籍的州长们中间却存在着很大的分歧，其中有些州长拒绝接收联邦政府分配给他们州的资金，其他一些共和党州长则支持奥巴马总统。
President Obama acknowledged in his remarks to the governors that there has been "a healthy debate" on the stimulus.
奥巴马总统在向州长们发表讲话时承认，针对他的经济刺激计划，的确存在着一种“健康的争论。”
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, speaking for the Republicans at the White House meeting, held out the hope that all sides could now come together as the plan enters the implementation phase.
佛蒙特州州长道格拉斯(Jim Douglas)在这场白宫会议上代表共和党发表讲话时表示，随着经济刺激计划进入实施阶段，有关各方协调一致共同努力的希望还是有的。
"It is not a partisan issue to get America moving again," he said. "Both Republicans and Democrats have lost their jobs all across this country and we have to work together to put them back to work."
他说：“要让美国重振旗鼓，并不是一个党派问题。全国各地不论是共和党人还是民主党人都有很多人失去了工作。我们必须共同努力，帮助他们返回工作岗位。”
The session with the governors was the first of many events the president will have this week on the economy. Later Monday, he is hosting a summit of experts and lawmakers on the federal budget deficit. News reports say Mr. Obama intends to cut the deficit by half over four years.
奥巴马总统跟州长们举行的这次会议只是他这个星期在经济方面要展开的很多活动当中的第一个。星期一下午，奥巴马总统亲自主持召开一个有专家和国会议员参加的关于联邦预算赤字的峰会。有报导说，奥巴马总统打算在今后的四年中把联邦政府的预算赤字削减一半。
The president will talk about his economic goals Tuesday night in a nationally broadcast speech before a joint session of Congress. And on Thursday, he will unveil his federal budget for the next fiscal year.
星期二晚上，奥巴马总统将向国会参众两院联席会议发表一个向全国实况转播的讲话，着重谈论他的经济目标。星期四，奥巴马总统将公布下一个财政年度的联邦政府预算。 |