The U.S. Congress took steps on Tuesday to tighten sanctions against Iran in what many lawmakers call an effort to provide President Barack Obama the authority he needs to increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program. One week after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Congress that the Obama administration will work with lawmakers to impose "crippling" sanctions against Iran, Senate lawmakers introduced legislation designed to help accomplish just that.
美国国会星期二采取措施，加强对伊朗的制裁。很多议员称这种努力能向奥巴马总统提供他所需要的权威，就伊朗的核问题向德黑兰施加压力。一个星期前，国务卿克林顿对国会说，奥巴马政府将和议员们合作，对伊朗实施“瘫痪性的”制裁。参议院的议员们推出了有关议案，以达到对伊朗制裁的目的。
In an effort similar to action in the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation targeting Iran's gasoline imports, including companies supporting Iran's energy sector or insuring fuel shipments to Iran.
类似众议院提出的有关议案，民主、共和两党的参议员提出主要针对伊朗汽油进口的议案，制裁对象包括支持伊朗能源行业的公司，或确保向伊朗提供燃料运输的公司。
Senator Joseph Lieberman, who calls himself an Independent but caucuses with Democrats, says the legislation is part of a process in which the United States and its allies "turn the page" toward finding more common ground on Iran and setting specific benchmarks with global enforcement.
利伯曼是独立派参议员，但却参加民主党的核心会议。他说，这项议案是一个程序的一部分，因为在这个过程中，美国及其盟国正就伊朗问题翻开新的一页，找到更多共同点，并为全球范围内强化制裁的实施设定具体的基准。
"What we need is a multi-pronged, explicit strategy that employs all of the elements of our national power and our allies, and that ties together multiple lines of operation, including direct diplomacy with the Iranians, into a coherent plan of action for the months ahead that has goals and schedules and teeth," he said.
他说：“我们所需的是一个多层次、明确的战略，动用我们国家和盟国的所有力量，将这行动的多方面，融入未来几个月的统一行动计划中，其中包括同伊朗的直接外交接触。这些行动计划有目标、有时间表、有强制手段。”
Lieberman says Iran must understand that it is on an explicit timeline in which the international community expects to see results. The Obama administration, he added, must make clear that it does not view engagement with Iran as a process without an end, but as a means to identify ends that would benefit both countries.
Like the House version, the Senate measure would amend the 1996 Iran Sanctions Act to allow the president to sanction foreign companies involved in enabling the shipment of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to Iran, or helping to maintain its existing refining capacity.
就像众议院的议案一样，参议院的提案将修改1996的伊朗制裁法案，允许总统制裁参与向伊朗提供石油运输和其它精炼石油产品的公司，或帮助维持其现有炼油能力的公司。
Proposals to sanction Iran's gasoline imports, which account for 40 percent of its needs, have been advocated by various lawmakers in recent years.
Meanwhile, the House Financial Services Committee took a step to make it easier for U.S. state governments and individual investors to divest from Iran, removing the threat of lawsuits for those doing so.
另一方面，众议院财经委员会采取措施，便于美国各州政府和个人投资者从伊朗撤资，并去除因这样做所面临的法律诉讼的危险。
"There are people who will think that it is important that we tighten sanctions against Iran; there are some who may feel the time has come to relax them. This bill doesn't take sides. What it says is that it is inappropriate to have a federal rule that says state governments with their own money can't make these decisions or that individual investors can't press their companies to do it," said House Financial Services Committee Chairman, Democrat Barney Frank.
众议院财经委员会主席、民主党议员弗兰克说：“有些人会认为，我们加强对伊朗的制裁很重要。有些人或许会认为，现在是放松制裁的时候了。这个议案不偏袒任何一方。这项议案说，如果联邦规定持有自己资金的州政府无法做出有关决定，或者个人投资者不能敦促他们的公司这样做，这是不合适的。”
The House measure is similar to legislation Congress approved regarding Darfur in Sudan, but would not direct the federal government to publish a list of companies with investments of more than $20 million in the Iranian energy sector -- a provision that drew opposition from some lawmakers.
众议院的议案同国会批准的有关苏丹达尔富尔的法案相同，但是不会命令联邦政府公布在伊朗能源行业投资超过2千万美元的公司名单，这项规定招致了一些议员的反对。
Ten U.S. states have enacted Iran divestment legislation, and an amendment to the House bill would retroactively expand protection to those actions.
Republican Jeb Hensarling says changes agreed to by Democrats and Republicans have improved the measure, adding that it should attract strong bipartisan support when it comes up for a vote in the House.
共和党议员杰布.亨萨林说，民主、共和两党议员一致认同的变化，已改进了有关议案。他说，在众议院对这项议案进行表决时，预计会得到两党的大力支持。
Iranian officials this week warned against attempts to sanction gasoline imports.
伊朗官员本星期警告不要妄图对伊朗的汽油进口实施制裁。
In separate action, the House of Representatives debated a resolution urging Iran to step up cooperation with the U.S. and intermediaries on the case of Robert Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared in 2007 while visiting Iran.
另一方面，众议院就一项决议案进行辩论。该决议案敦促伊朗加强同美国和调解人员就罗伯特.列文森的案子进行合作。列文森是一名前联邦调查局的特工，2007年在访问伊朗时失踪。
It expresses appreciation for Iran's "promise of continued assistance" but urges President Obama and U.S. allies to raise the case at every opportunity, "notwithstanding other serious disagreements with Iran over its nuclear program and other issues".
这项决议案对伊朗“承诺继续提供帮助”，表示感谢，但是敦促奥巴马总统和美国的盟国利用一切机会提出此案，“尽管在伊朗的核项目和其它方面同伊朗存在严重的分歧”。
A similar concurrent resolution is pending in the Senate. Such measures express sentiments of both chambers of Congress, but do not have the force of law.
另外一个类似的决议案，正等候参议院的审议。这项决议案表达了参众两院的观点，但不具法律效应。 |