VOA常速英语2023 美国债务上限继续提高

美国债务上限继续提高

　　This is VOA News, I'm Marissa Melton.

　　这里是美国之音新闻，我是玛丽莎·梅尔顿。

　　US President Joe Biden signed into law on Saturday legislation that suspends the US government's debt limit through January of 2025 and avoids a potentially disastrous¹ default just days before the government runs out of money to pay its bills.

　　周六，美国总统拜登签署了一项法案，将美国政府的债务上限暂停至2025年1月，避免了一场潜在的灾难性违约，因为美国政府将在几天后无力支付账单。

　　The White House announced the signing in an emailed statement Saturday and said it was done in private.

　　白宫星期六在一份电子邮件声明中宣布了这一签署，并表示这是私下完成的。

　　But Friday night, Biden made televised remarks from the Oval Office, praising the negotiations² between Republicans and Democrats³.

　　但是周五晚上，拜登在总统办公室发表了电视讲话，赞扬了共和党和民主党之间的谈判。

　　"Both sides operated in good faith.

　　“双方都本着诚意行事。

　　Both sides kept their word."

　　双方都遵守了诺言。”

　　The bill allows the government to continue to borrow more money to call over the current $31.4 trillion debt limit.

　　该法案允许政府继续借更多的钱，可以超过目前31.4万亿美元的债务上限。

　　After weeks of tough negotiations on the debt ceiling, lawmakers had worked on the process and now they will work to reform the process.

　　在就债务上限进行了数周的艰难谈判之后，议员们一直在研究这一进程，现在他们将努力改革这一进程。

　　VOA's Patsy Widakuswara tells us more.

　　美国之音记者帕齐将带来详细报道。

　　Raising the debt ceiling is a routine process that has been done 78 times since 1960.

　　提高债务上限是一个例行进程，自1960年以来已经进行了78次。

　　But since 2011 has been a source of conflict when there's divided government.

　　但自2011年政府分裂以来，它一直是冲突的根源。

　　Many are now pushing to reform the process, including through proposed legislation that requires lawmakers to annually⁴ vote on policies to reduce the debt while automatically suspending the debt ceiling.

　　许多人现在正在推动改革这一进程，包括通过一项拟议的立法，要求议员每年就削减债务的政策进行投票，同时自动暂停债务上限。

　　The US is now $31.4 trillion in debt and is racking up even more.

　　美国现在有31.4万亿美元的债务，而且还在增加。

　　The Congressional Budget Office projects a federal budget deficit⁵ of $1.5 trillion for 2023, which could nearly double to $2.7 trillion by 2033.

　　国会预算办公室预计，2023年联邦预算赤字将达到1.5万亿美元，到2033年可能翻一番，达到2.7万亿美元。

　　From Washington, this is VOA News.

　　这里是美国之音新闻，于华盛顿播报。

1 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 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》

4 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

5 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。