VOA双语新闻 $40 Billion in Poor Nation's Debt Cancelled b（在线收听）

President Bush wants Congress to ratify a free-trade agreement with Central American nations. Democrats say the plan weakens labor rights and would cost jobs in the United States.

美国总统布什要求国会批准中美洲国家自由贸易协议，可是民主党说，这个计划会削弱劳工权益，减少美国的就业机会。

President Bush says he will use a Monday meeting in Florida to tell leaders from the Organization of American States that a regional free trade agreement is a good deal for workers, farmers and small businesses in the United States and throughout the hemisphere.

布什总统说，他星期一将在佛罗里达州举行的会谈中告诉美洲国家组织领导人，地区性自由贸易协议将有利于美国和整个美洲的工人、农民和小业主。

In his weekly radio address, President Bush again called on Congress to ratify that plan, known as the Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA.

布什总统在每周广播讲话中再一次呼吁国会批准这个计划，也就是中美洲和多米尼加共和国自由贸易协议，或者简称为中美洲自由贸易协议。

"CAFTA will lower barriers in key sectors, like textiles, which will make American manufacturers more competitive in the global market," the president said. "And CAFTA will make our neighborhood more secure by strengthening young democracies. CAFTA is a practical, pro-jobs piece of legislation. And Congress needs to pass it soon."

他说：“中美洲自由贸易协议会减少纺织品等主要行业的贸易壁垒，可以提高美国制造商在世界市场上的竞争力。这个协议还可以使我们的地区更加安全，巩固新兴的民主国家。这个计划是实用的，是有利于就业的，国会应该尽快通过。”

President Bush says it is not fair that about 80 percent of products from Central America and the Dominican Republic enter the United States duty free, while U.S. exports to those countries face hefty tariffs.

布什总统说，从中美洲和多米尼加共和国进入美国的产品中，80%是免税的，而美国向这些国家出口的产品却要被征收沉重的关税，这是不公平的。

He says CAFTA will level the playing field by making about 80 percent of U.S. exports to those countries duty free.

布什总统说，中美洲自由贸易协议会导致美国向这些国家出口的产品的大约80%也享受免税待遇，从而建立一个公平竞争的机制。

Congressional Democrats, who oppose the agreement, say it fails to safeguard environmental and labor protections for lower wage workers in Central America.

反对这个计划的美国国会民主党人士说，这个协议不能保护环境和中美洲那些低工资劳工的权益。

In the Democratic radio address, North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan says more workers in the United States will lose their jobs, and the U.S. trade deficit will grow, if Congress ratifies CAFTA.

来自北达科他州的民主党参议员拜伦·德尔根在广播讲话中说，如果国会通过这个协议的话，更多的美国人将失业，美国的贸易赤字将会上升。

"How many more American [U.S.] workers will lose their jobs to cheap foreign labor, before we understand that the current trade policy puts our standard of living in the U.S. in a race to the bottom?" Senator Dorgan said. "Why does the president oppose our efforts to shut down tax breaks now given to these corporations that move American [U.S.] jobs overseas?"

他说：“现有的贸易政策使我们的生活水平越来越低。在我们充份认识到这一点之前，还会有多少美国人会因为海外廉价劳工而失业？我们正在努力取消一些美国公司由于把美国的就业机会转移到国外而获得减税优惠。为什么布什总统要反对我们呢？

President Bush also faces legislative opposition on CAFTA from some within his own party, mostly Republicans from states with large textile mills and sugar plantations, threatened by foreign competition.

布什总统的这个计划还遭到一些共和党人的反对，他们大多数来自那些以纺织和制糖业为主，受到海外竞争威胁的州。