President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to act quickly on his economic recovery program, warning that inaction by Washington could extend the current recession for years.
美国当选总统奥巴马敦促国会立即行动，通过他提出的经济刺激方案。奥巴马警告说，华盛顿如果行动迟缓，经济衰退将会持续很多年。
President-elects traditionally focus on their transition period and naming cabinet members.
过去，美国当选总统在这样的时候发表讲话谈的都是如何过渡接班，如何安排内阁成员。
But Mr. Obama took the unusual step of delivering what his aides described as a major policy speech in Virginia, urging quick congressional action on an economic stimulus plan that is still being put together.
但是，奥巴马这次在维吉尼亚发表演讲的时候却有所不同，他的讲话，按照他的助手们的概括，是做出了一个重大的政策宣示。奥巴马敦促国会立即就他提出的经济刺激方案采取行动。这个方案正在修改当中。
"Now I do not believe that it is too late to change course, but it will be if we do not take dramatic action as soon as possible. If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years," he said.
他说：“现在，我认为，要改变方向还来得及。但是，如果我们不能够尽快采取大的行动，我们就可能来不及了。要是什么都不做，这次的衰退可能回会持续很多年。”
The Obama stimulus plan could cost as much as $800 billion. The incoming administration hopes to free up credit for consumers, create three million jobs and boost spending on infrastructure projects around the country.
奥巴马的刺激方案的规模可能会高达8千亿美元。即将上任的新政府希望能够恢复消费信贷，创造3百万个工作，扩大全国的基础设施建设开支。
Mr. Obama said it was important to have what he called an open and honest discussion about his evolving recovery plan in the days ahead. But he warned Congress against lengthy delays in taking up his proposals once he becomes president on January 20.
奥巴马表示，在今后几天就他提出的振兴经济的计划展开开放和认真的讨论是非常重要的。不过，奥巴马提醒国会不要在处理他的方案时候拖延的时间太长。奥巴马将在1月20号成为总统。
"For every day we wait or point our fingers or drag our feet, more Americans will lose their jobs. More families will lose their savings," he added. "More dreams will be deferred and denied. And our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse."
他说：“在我们等待、相互指责、拖延的每一天，都会有更多的美国人失去自己的工作。就会有更多的家庭失去自己的储蓄，就会有更多的梦想被推迟、被粉碎。我们的国家就会在危机中陷得更深。到了某个时候，我们可能就无法扭转局面了。”
Republican congressional leaders have complimented the president-elect on his efforts to reach out to them as the incoming administration and lawmakers shape the recovery plan.
国会中的共和党领袖赞扬了当选总统在听取他们意见方面所做出的努力。下届政府和国会议员们正在就这个经济振兴方案进行修改。
But the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, Congressman John Boehner of Ohio, said members of his party remain concerned about the size of the Obama stimulus plan and its impact on the federal budget deficit.
但是，众议院共和党领袖、来自俄亥俄州的议员约翰.伯纳(John Boehner)表示，共和党议员对奥巴马的经济刺激方案的规模和这个方案对联邦预算赤字的影响依然感到不安。
"I do believe that our economy is facing a crisis, and I do believe that American families and small businesses are under an awful lot of stress and anxiety. And I do believe that Washington has to act," he said. "But we have to act in a responsible way. We have got to address the economic crisis, but we also have to address just how much debt we are going to build up."
他说：“我确实认为，我们的经济面临危机；我确实认为，美国家庭和小企业经受着巨大的压力和焦虑；我确实认为，华盛顿必须有所行动。但是，我们必须采取负责的行动。我们必须解决经济危机的问题。但是，我们还必须注意我们究竟准备承受多大的债务。”
Mr. Obama acknowledged some of the concerns in his speech. But he also added that he and the new Congress have little alternative but to take dramatic steps to turn the economy around.
"It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth. But at this particular moment, only government can provide the short term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe," he said.
Democratic congressional leaders had hoped to pass Mr. Obama's economic recovery plan before he took office so that it would be ready for his signature right after his inauguration on January 20. But some leaders are now suggesting that congress may not finish with the plan until mid-February at the earliest.
国会的民主党领袖希望在奥巴马就职前能够表决通过经济振兴方案，这样，在奥巴马1月20号就职的时候就可以予以签署。不过，其他的国会领袖已经暗示，国会可能最早要到2月初才能够完成对这个计划的审批过程。 |