VOA标准英语2013--US Budget Impasse Could Affect Air Travel

 

US Budget Impasse¹ Could Affect Air Travel

Flying in and out of U.S. airports could become a challenge, with delays on the ground and in the air.

The disruptions could begin when automatic government spending cuts hit the nation's aviation sector² in April. 

"This is very painful for us because it involves our employees," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood. "But it is going to be very painful for the flying public."

The budget cuts mean there will be fewer workers and longer wait times for travelers clearing security and customs checkpoints, officials say. The cuts also mean air traffic controllers will be forced to take unpaid³ days off. Fewer controllers in the tower will impact flight operations at the nation's busiest airports like here in Washington.

With fewer air traffic controllers to guide pilots, officials predict flight delays of up to 90 minutes at big airports. 

"We need to have a certain number of bodies there [in the control tower] and, if they mandate⁴ to us that that many people cannot be at work, we can't open those positions and we cannot move as many airplanes or as much traffic," said Matt Byrd, who represents the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

"We are going to have an effect throughout the national airspace," said Marion Blakey, president of the Aerospace⁵ Industries Association in Washington. She says the cuts will also harm the U.S. aerospace defense⁶ industry.

"In 2013 and 2014 alone, if sequestration is allowed to stand, we are talking about the loss of over two million jobs," she said. "We are talking about a blow to the growth of our GDP [Gross Domestic Product] of two thirds percent. That's huge."

"Anything that disrupts air travel is disruptive of the economy," said Virginia Senator Tim Kane. 

Kane and other members of Congress are calling for an end to the spending cuts. 

Maryland Congressman⁷ John Sarbanes worries that reduced traffic at Baltimore's BWI Airport could mean a loss of 94,000 jobs.

"You are going to have to contract the economic activity of the airport in order to accommodate that ripple⁸ effect," he said. "That sort of slow roll that is going to begin to happen, that accumulates over time and then it does begin to affect the bottom line of business in the area."

Still - transportation officials say budget cuts to civil aviation will not compromise safety on the ground or in the skies.

1 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 unpaid   

adj.未付款的，无报酬的

参考例句：

• Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。
• He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。

4 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

5 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

8 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。