VOA慢速英语2009年-Economics Report - Does US Need a Second S

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Last month more Americans than expected lost their jobs. Job losses had fallen every month since January. The news raised questions about the strength of progress toward economic recovery. Unemployment is at twenty-six year highs. The jobless rate in June was nine and a half percent.

That is already a lot higher than President Obama's advisers¹ had predicted for later this year, even if Congress passed a stimulus² bill. Congress did that in February with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It contained seven hundred eighty-seven billion dollars in spending increases and tax cuts to strengthen the economy.
　
Rob Nabors speaking to lawmakers on Wednesday

That bill was a compromise between calls for more spending and concerns about the rising national debt. Most of the money has yet to be spent. But already some lawmakers and others are saying the economy might need more.

"No one in the administration is talking about a second stimulus at this point." Those were the words of Rob Nabors, deputy director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget. He told a hearing in Congress on Wednesday that the administration is mainly concerned with the current recovery plan.

Still, even President Obama left open the possibility when he signed the recovery act into law in February.

BARACK OBAMA: "Now I don't want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems. Nor does it constitute all of what we're going to have to do to turn our economy around."

One concern is the possible effect of additional spending on the budget deficit³. This year's federal deficit is already predicted to be the highest in relation to the economy since World War Two.

Laura D'Andrea Tyson is on the president's Economic Recovery Advisory⁴ Board. On Tuesday she suggested that the administration should plan for the possibility of additional aid. Rob Nabors told the congressional hearing that she did not represent the administration.

The Government Accountability Office reports that state and local governments have received twenty-nine billion dollars so far. It arrived quickly. But ninety percent has gone to health care for the elderly and education programs. Only a small part has gone to bridges, roads and other infrastructure⁵ -- projects that can put people to work more quickly.

The report led Republicans to say the recovery plan passed by Democrats⁶ is failing. But members of both parties have suggested they might support new stimulus measures to end the recession.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

1 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》