经过修改的拯救美国金融机构的立法通过了第一道关卡，在美国国会参议院得以通过。这项法案星期五在众议院可能面临更艰难的考验。

　　Senators overwhelmingly passed the enhanced version of the bailout, 74-25 Wednesday night, sending it to the House, which rejected the first incarnation of the bill earlier in the week.

　　星期三晚间，参议员们以74票比25票的压倒多数通过了修改后的救市计划。该计划将送往众议院表决。 本星期早些时候众议院拒绝了这项计划的最初版本。

　　Under the controversial plan, the U.S. government would spend $700 billion to take over bad debts from U.S.-based financial institutions.

　　根据这项具有争议的计划，美国政府将使用7千亿美元来收购美国金融机构的坏账。

　　The easy Senate approval raised hopes among the Bush administration and congressional leaders that many of the Representatives who voted against the bill on Monday might change their minds by Friday.

　　参议院顺利通过救市计划，重新燃起了布什政府和国会领袖们对星期五众议院通过这一计划的希望，他们估计很多在星期一投反对票的众议员可能改变立场。

　　The revised legislation is said to be gaining support in the House, thanks in part to amendments including $100 billion in tax breaks for businesses and middle-income families, as well as an increased limit on federal deposit insurance.

　　这项经过修改的救市立法据说会在众议院得到更多支持度，因为该立法作了部分修正，包括对企业和中产阶级家庭减免高达1千亿美元的税收，同时提高了联邦政府给银行存款的保险金的最高限额。

　　The proposal is not popular with many taxpayers. Mail, e-mail and telephone calls to congressional offices have been overwhelmingly against it. With the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate up for re-election about one month from now, many lawmakers have been hesitant to support the bailout.

　　这项提案对很多纳税人来说是非常不受欢迎的，反对提案的信件、电邮、电话像潮水一样涌向国会议员办公室。还有一个月左右的时间，国会全体众议员和三分之一参议员将面临重新选举的考验，很多议员在是否支持这项法案问题上犹豫不决。

　　Even some Senators who voted for the plan, such as Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, say they did so reluctantly.

　　甚至一些投了赞成票的参议员，例如来自南卡罗来纳的共和党人格雷厄姆就表示，他们这样做并不是心甘情愿的。

　　"We have two choices as far as I am concerned: a bad choice we all recognize, and a catastrophic choice if we do nothing," he said.

　　“我们认为我们有两种选择，一个是我们都承认的不好的选项，而假如我们不采取行动，另一个选项则会是灾难性的。”

　　Many lawmakers who voted yes warned of a financial catastrophe if the bailout goes down again. Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York said failure to pass the bill would result in the financial equivalent of a heart attack.

　　很多投了赞成票的国会议员都警告说，如果救市计划再次失败，金融灾难就将来临。来自纽约州的民主党参议员舒默说， 假如救市议案不能通过，金融界发生的情况就像是人的心脏病发作。

　　"Our economy's body is in terrible shape because its arteries, the financial system, is clogged, and it will cause a heart attack, maybe in a day, maybe in six months, but we will get a heart attack for sure if we do not act," he said.

　　“我们的经济体系情况很糟糕，因为供血的动脉系统，也就是金融系统被堵塞了，这会引发心脏病卒发，也许再过一天，也许再过半年，总之，如果我们不采取行动，心脏病终将发作。”

　　Both presidential candidates left their campaigns to return to the Senate and vote in favor of the bill. Illinois Democrat Barack Obama spoke on the Senate floor, saying a second defeat for the legislation would affect Americans everywhere.

　　美国两党总统候选人中断了竞选，回到参议院，为救市方案投了赞成票。来自伊利诺伊州的民主党参议员奥巴马在参议院说，如果再次否决这项立法，全国各地的美国人都将受到影响。

　　"What it means is that businesses will not be able to get the loans they need to open a new factory or make payroll for their workers. And if they cannot make payroll on Friday, then workers are laid off on Monday. And if workers are laid off on Monday, then they cannot pay their bills or pay back their loans to somebody else. And it will go on and on and on, rippling through the entire economy," he said.

　　“这意味着企业在开设新工厂或者给员工发放工资时不能得到它们所需的贷款，如果星期五他们开不出工资来，工人下星期一就被裁员。如果工人星期一失业的话，他们就无法交付账单，无法偿还拖欠别人的贷款。”

　　Earlier in the day, Republican John McCain of Arizona warned of dire consequences if the enhanced bailout plan went down.

　　星期三稍早，来自亚利桑纳的共和党参议员麦凯恩警告说，如果修改后的救市方案再次受挫，后果不堪设想。

　　"If the financial rescue bill fails in Congress yet again, the present crisis will turn into a disaster," McCain said.

　　“如果金融救援议案在国会再次失败，那么，目前的危机就将变成灾难。”

　　Wednesday's vote crossed party lines. Many Republicans voted for the plan, and some Democrats voted against it. Some liberals oppose using taxpayers' money to rescue the financial markets, and some conservatives believe the government should not interfere in private business.

　　星期三的表决超越了政党的界限，很多共和党人赞成这一方案，一些民主党人则投了反对票。一些自由派的议员反对利用纳税人的钱去挽救金融市场，一些保守派人士认为，政府不应该干预私有经济。

　　Alabama Republican Richard Shelby voted against the proposal because he thought there should be a better alternative.

　　来自阿拉巴马州的共和党参议员谢尔比投票反对这一立法，因为他认为应该有一个更好的选择。

　　"Many around here are finding comfort in the notion that something is better than nothing. I believe that is a false choice. The choice we faced was between pursuing an informed response or panic. And I think we chose panic," he said.

　　他说：“这里很多人认为，做点事情总比什么都不做更让人感到安心。而我认为那是错误的选择。我们面临的抉择是，或者在得到足够的信息后做出反应，或者惊恐万状不知所措。我认为我们选择了惊慌失措。”

　　If the House passes the bailout plan, it will go to President Bush for his signature.

　　如果众议院通过了救市立法，该立法将送交总统签字生效。

　　After the House rejected the previous version on Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 780 points, a record for a one-day point loss. The Dow recovered more than half of that lost value on Tuesday.

　　众议院星期一否决前一个救市方案之后，道琼斯指数下降了近780点，创下单日跌幅历史纪录。星期二这一指数回升，收复前一天跌幅的一半以上。