U.S. legislators are responding cautiously to statements from Saudi Arabia that hint at possible further increases in oil production, saying the United States must do more on its own to reduce its dependency on foreign sources of fuel.
美国国会议员们对沙特阿拉伯有关可能会进一步增加石油产量的说法反应谨慎。他们说美国必须自己作出更多努力来减少对外国燃油的依赖。
Saudi Arabia's oil minister (Ali al-Naimi) says the kingdom is willing to boost crude production if sufficient demand exists for the commodity. The remarks came at an oil summit in Jeddah, where Saudi Arabia said it is already increasing production by 200,000 barrels per day, but would consider an even higher output.
沙特阿拉伯石油事务大臣说，如果消费者对原油的需求量足够大，沙特愿意增加原油产量。他是在沙特城市吉达召开的石油问题高峰会议上说这番话的。沙特阿拉伯在会议上说，沙特已经把原油日产量增加20万桶，而且会考虑进一步增产。
In Washington, the chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence, Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey, seemed unimpressed by the Saudi pronouncement.
在华盛顿，美国国会众议院能源独立委员会主席、麻萨诸塞州众议员马基似乎对沙特宣布的这一消息并不感兴趣。
"It may have a marginal impact [in moderating oil prices]," said Congressman Markey. "But in the end, this crisis is really caused by 12 years of Republican control of Congress. We have gone from 46 percent dependence [on foreign oil] when the Republicans took over the House and Senate in 1995 to 61 percent dependence on imported oil today. We have had an oil and gas agenda. We have thwarted the renewable energy agenda."
他说：“这可能会对降低油价产生微弱的影响。但是从本质上看，造成目前危机的真正原因是共和党对国会长达12年的控制。在1995年共和党取得对国会参、众两院控制权时，美国46%的石油依赖进口，而现在这一比例上升到61%。我们一直把石油和天然气放在日程表上，但是阻碍了可再生能源的发展。”
Markey was speaking on ABC's This Week program. Democrats took control of both houses of Congress in the 2006 elections.
马基是在美国广播公司的“本周”节目中说这番话的。民主党人在2006年的选举中取得了对议会两院的控制权。
Many Republicans, including President George Bush and the party's presumptive presidential nominee Senator John McCain, agree with Democrats in urging expanded use of alternative energy sources. But Mr. Bush and McCain are also calling for expanded domestic oil drilling to boost America's crude supplies.
美国总统布什、即将获得共和党总统候选人提名的麦凯恩参议员和许多共和党人同意民主党人关于敦促人们使用更多替代性能源的主张。但是，布什和麦凯恩还要求加大开采国内石油资源，以增加美国的原油供给。
Also appearing on ABC's This Week, Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas blasted Democrats for opposing new drilling off U.S. coastlines and other areas.
德克萨斯州的共和党参议员哈钦森也参加了美国广播公司的“本周”节目。她对民主党人反对在美国沿海等地区开采新的石油资源进行了严厉的批评。
"The Democrats have thwarted every effort we have made to increase our [domestic oil] supply," said Kay Bailey Hutchison. "This is a supply-and-demand issue. The demand has skyrocketed mainly because of global [consumption] increases, and we have not done anything about supply. Drilling off-shore on a state-by-state basis is something I think we could do very environmentally safely."
她说：“民主党人对我们增加国内石油供给的一切努力都横加阻挠。这是一个供给和需求的问题。需求量激烈上升主要是全球能源使用量增加造成的，而我们还没有针对供给采取任何行动。我认为，我们可以在对环境很安全的情况下根据每个州的具体情况开发沿海石油资源。”
Some energy experts say oil prices have risen, in part, due to speculation by energy traders. The head of the American Petroleum Institute, Red Caveney, says there is a simple way to counteract expectations of continually higher fuel prices that drive market speculation.
一些能源专家说，石油价格上涨的一部分原因是能源交易商的投机行为。美国石油学会的负责人卡夫尼说，人们认为油价会继续不断的升高，这就导致了市场投机行为。
"What you need are permanent solutions," said Red Caveney. "That is the signal the markets are looking for. Any scenario you look at, you will find that you need all the energy we can get of every kind."
他说：“你需要的是永久性的解决办法。那就是市场要得到的信号。”
Caveney echoed calls for increased U.S. oil drilling.
卡夫尼也呼吁增加对美国国内石油资源的开采。
One expert argued that, for years, the United States has underinvested in technologies to make automobiles more fuel-efficient. Jeffrey Sachs, who directs Columbia University's Earth Institute, says the United States has catch-up work to do if it wants to become energy independent.
而另一名专家、哥伦比亚大学地球研究所所长萨克斯说，多年以来，美国没有投入足够的资金来发展提高汽车燃油使用率的技术。他说，如果美国想在能源上独立，它还需要做许多工作来赶上形势。
John McCain and his presumed Democratic rival for the presidency, Senator Barack Obama, say major investments will be needed in renewable and alternative energy sources. Unlike McCain, Obama opposes new off-shore oil drilling and has proposed imposing a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies. |