With the United States' unemployment rate at its highest level this year, President Barack Obama is calling on lawmakers to pass a series of his administration's proposals to improve the economy. Opposition Republicans are blaming the president's policies for the country's economic troubles. Even White House officials are calling Friday's jobs numbers "disappointing."
美国失业率今年达到最高点，奥巴马总统呼吁国会议员通过一系列改善经济的提案。反对党共和党人将美国经济困境归咎于总统的政策。就连白宫官员都称7月8日(星期五)的工作数字令人失望。
The U.S. Labor Department says only 18,000 jobs were added to the nation's economy in June, the smallest increase in nine months. That pushed the unemployment rate up one-tenth of one percent last month, to 9.2 percent.
美国劳工部说，六月份的美国经济只新增了一万八千个工作，这是九个月来最小增幅。这将失业率上升了0.1%，成为9.2%。
President Obama acknowledged Friday that the economy is not producing enough jobs.
奥巴马总统星期五承认，经济没有创造足够的就业机会。
"Today's job report confirms what most Americans already know, we still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to give people the security and opportunity that they deserve," Obama said.
他说：“今天的就业报告确认了大多数美国人都已经知道的。我们在提供人们应得的安全和机会上仍有很长的路要走，也还有很多工作要作。”
The president said more than two million private-sector jobs have been added in 16 months. But he said with more than eight million jobs lost in the recession, the economy still has a big hole to fill.
总统说，在过去16个月，私人部门新增了两百多万个工作。但他说，有八百多万个工作在经济衰退中流失，还有一个很大的洞要填补。
In the White House Rose Garden, Obama told reporters numerous factors have been slowing the economy's rebound, including high gasoline prices, the debt crisis in Greece and the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
奥巴马在白宫玫瑰花园对记者说，许多因素拖慢了经济的复苏，包括了高油价、希腊的债务危机、日本的海啸和地震。
To boost the economic recovery, the president called on Congress to pass several administration-backed proposals. Among them are free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
为了刺激经济复苏，奥巴马要求国会通过几项政府支持的提案。在这些提案中，包括了和哥伦比亚、巴拿马和韩国的自由贸易协定。
"Today, Congress can advance trade agreements that will help businesses sell more American-made goods and services to Asia and South America, supporting thousands of jobs here at home," Obama added. "That could be done right now."
他说，“今天，国会可以推动贸易协定。这些协定可以帮助企业卖给亚洲和南美洲更多美国制造的产品和服务，支持美国本地的数千个工作机会。这现在就可以完成。”
Obama said the unemployment report adds new urgency to his talks with congressional leaders on reducing the government deficit and raising the legal borrowing limit.
奥巴马说，这份失业报告使他与国会领导人的会谈更为紧迫。他们的议题是减少政府的赤字和提高合法的借贷上限。
The president said continuing uncertainty over the debt limit is one factor keeping businesses from hiring. He said an agreement must be reached soon.
奥巴马总统说，借贷限额的继续不明确是公司不能雇用新人的一个因素。他说，必须很快达成一项协议。
"The American people sent us here to do the right thing, not for party, but for country," Obama said. "So we are going to work together to get things done on their behalf. That is the least that they should expect of us, not the most that they should expect of us."
奥巴马说：“美国人派我们到这里来是要做正确的事情，不是为了政党，而是为了国家。因此，我们要代表他们把事情办好。那应当是他们对我们最起码的期待，而不是最高的期待。”
The U.S. government has until August 2 to raise the debt ceiling from its current $14.3 trillion.
美国政府在8月2日之前必须把目前14万3千亿美元的借贷上限提高。
The Obama administration is proposing to cut about $4 trillion from the deficit by reducing spending, increasing revenue and ending some tax breaks. Opposition Republicans want to reduce the deficit by cutting spending, but House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner says they will not support any tax increases.
奥巴马政府建议，通过降低开支、增加税收和取消一些减税措施把赤字削减4万亿美元。反对党共和党想通过降低开支来削减赤字。不过，众议院议长贝纳说，他们不支持任何增税方案。
"You have heard me say it before, a debt limit increase that raises taxes or fails to make serious spending cuts won't pass the House," said Boehner.
贝纳说：“你们过去听过我这样说了，通过增税或者不认真削减开支来提高债务上限的议案在众院是通不过的。”
Top Republicans slammed the administration's handling of the economy. They called the June unemployment figures "completely unacceptable," and blamed excessive government spending for the lack of new jobs.
共和党领导人抨击奥巴马政府对经济的处理方式。他们称6月的失业数据是完全不可接受的。他们把缺乏新工作归咎于政府的过度开支。
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican presidential candidate, said President Obama is "out of answers and running out of time."
竞选共和党总统候选人的前明尼苏达州长波伦蒂说，奥巴马不但拿不出解决问题的方案，而且也没有时间了。 |