A day after a new Democratic-led U.S. Congress was sworn in, lawmakers are focusing on an ambitious agenda. Senate Democratic leaders Wednesday outlined their priorities, which range from passing an economic stimulus plan to addressing new global threats and closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
美国民主党人领导的新一届国会宣誓就职一天以后，议员们把关注点转向了雄心勃勃的国会议程。参议院民主党领袖星期三阐述了首要议程，包括通过一个经济刺激计划，因应全球范围新的威胁，以及关闭美国在古巴关塔那摩湾的拘留中心。
Topping Democrats' agenda is an economic stimulus plan that will put the growing number of jobless Americans back to work.
民主党人所制定日程上的首要项目是刺激经济的一揽子计划，通过这一计划可以给越来越多的美国失业者创造就业机会。
"The American people realize we have such a difficult time with the economy. It is in the state of crisis. It's not thousands of jobs being lost each month, but now hundreds of thousands of jobs lost each month," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
参议院多数党领袖哈利.里德在一次新闻发布上说：“美国人民了解我们在经济上的困难时期。现在已经进入危机状态。目前的失业状况已经不再是每个月增加数千人，而是每个月增加数10万人。”
Senate Republicans are open to a stimulus package, but say tax relief must be an essential part of the plan.
参议院共和党人对一个刺激经济一揽子计划持开放的态度，但是表示减少税款必须是这一计划的重要部分。
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke at a separate news conference.
参议院少数党领袖麦康内尔在另一个新闻发布会上说：
"I also think we should take a look at the tax portion of the stimulus package, take a look at reducing the middle class tax rate," he said.
“我还认为我们应该关注这个刺激方案中有关税收的部分，关注降低中产阶级税率的问题。”
President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office January 20, wants Congress to pass a stimulus package by early next month, at the latest.
即将于本月20号宣誓就职的当选总统奥巴马希望国会最晚在下个月初以前通过这一刺激方案。
On national security, Democrats want to draw down U.S. combat troops from Iraq and put more emphasis on the fight against al-Qaeda.
在国防问题上，民主党人希望削减美国在伊拉克的作战部队，在打击基地恐怖组织方面加强力量。
"We will strengthen nonproliferation and protect our nation from other deadly weapons and will share more effectively in the fight against terrorism by transitioning our strategy in Iraq and refocusing our resources on al-Qaeda, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and other emerging threats," said Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the number two Democrat in the Senate.
来自伊利诺伊州的迪克.德宾议员是参议院民主党的第二号人物，他说：“我们将加强核不扩散的工作，并保护我们的国家免受其他致命武器的攻击，我们还要在反恐斗争中通过移交我们在伊拉克的战略更有效地分享成果，并把我们的资源重新集中在基地组织、阿富汗、巴基斯坦，以及其他正在出现的威胁上面。”
Democrats are also eager to end Bush administration detainee policies. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the incoming chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, discussed legislation she introduced this week that would close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
民主党人也渴望结束布什政府的拘留政策。来自加利福尼亚的黛安.范斯坦是参议院情报委员会新任主席，她讨论了本周由她本人提出的关闭美国在关塔那摩湾拘留中心的议案。
"The need the close this facility is clear: along with the abuses at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo has been decried throughout the world. It has helped our enemies recruit, it has reduced America's credibility worldwide, strained relationships with our allies, and created a misguided dual legal system," she said.
“关闭这个中心的必要性是清楚的：和在阿布格拉布虐囚的情况一样，关塔那摩中心也遭到了全世界范围的谴责。它帮助我们的敌人招募更多人员，导致美国在全世界的信誉下降，使我们和盟友的关系出现紧张，同时也产生了导向错误的双重法律体系。”
The legislation would also limit interrogation procedures by the Central Intelligence Agency and end the outsourcing of coercive interrogations to government contractors.
这项立法还提出限制中央情报局的审讯程序，禁止跟政府签署合同的机构使用这种强制性的审讯程序。
Other issues on the Democrats' agenda include immigration reform, health care and education.
民主党人的日程中还包括移民改革、健保和教育等其他议题。
Besides passing legislation, members of the Senate will hold hearings on President-elect Obama's cabinet nominees. The first hearing is scheduled Thursday for former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Mr. Obama's choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
除了讨论通过立法以外，参议院议员还要举行审核当选总统奥巴马提名的内阁成员的听证会。第一个听证会订于星期四举行，讨论奥巴马选择的卫生与公共服务部部长提名人选前参议院多数党领袖汤姆.达什尔。
Although the hearings can be held before Mr. Obama's inauguration, senators cannot vote to confirm nominees until after the new president is sworn in to office later this month.
监管这些听证会可以在奥巴马宣誓就职之前举行，但是到本月稍后新总统就任以后参议员们才能投票决定这些内阁人选。 |