VOA常速英语2013--美国庆祝感恩节之际,政府削减粮食券（在线收听）

US Holiday Celebrating Bounty Comes as Government Cuts Food Program for Poor 美国庆祝感恩节之际,政府削减粮食券

The American holiday of Thanksgiving celebrates bountiful harvests with traditional family feasts. This year it comes just as the government assistance food stamps program is reducing benefits to millions of people. Volunteer organizations are increasing donations in the short term, but advocates warn that philanthropy alone cannot feed all who are in need.

美国人庆祝感恩节全家团聚享受大餐含有庆祝丰收的意义。不过今年由于政府削减食品券项目，慈善机构努力在短时间内加紧募捐，但专家说光靠慈善机构不能满足需求。

At the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., volunteers are preparing to distribute 50 percent more food this month than last, in part to compensate for the recent $5-billion cut to the food stamp program.

在华盛顿的“首都地区食品救助”机构的义工们正在做准备。他们这个月要发放的食物比上个月多一倍，部分原因是政府食品券项目最近被削减了50亿美元。

While increased private donations may help poor families make it through Thanksgiving, Brian Banks, the organization’s policy director, said they cannot sustain a major increase in giving over the long term.

首都地区食品救助政策执行长布莱恩.班克斯说，私人捐赠的增加可以帮助穷人度过感恩节的难关，但不满满足长远需求。

“The Capital Area Food Bank cannot reach enough donations to fulfill that cut. The food banks across the nation cannot reach enough donations to fill the cut. What we can do is make sure we are purchasing food, that we are taking donations and we are getting out to the community as fast as possible,” said Banks.

他说：“我们无法得到足够的捐赠来填补削减造成的空白，全美国的食品救助机构都无法做到这一点。我们所能做的就是购买食品，努力募捐，尽快把食品救助发放到社区。”

The food stamps cut is technically not a cut, but an end to a temporary stimulus increase passed during the economic recession.

严格来讲食品券项目削减不是严格意义上的削减，而是2009年经济衰退时期实施的刺激措施中增加的食品补贴11月1号到期。

While the U.S. economy has improved, unemployment remains high and the number of people receiving food stamps has risen to more than 47 million.

美国经济目前虽然已经好转，但是失业率仍 高居不下，领取食品券的人增长到了4千7百万。

Still the U.S. Congress is considering cutting up to $40 billion more in nutrition aid over 10 years to reduce the government deficit.

而国会为了减少政府赤字目前在考虑今后10年内减少4百亿美元的营养补贴。

Conservatives like Rachel Sheffield, a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation, say more must be done to reduce fraud and abuse, and decrease the growing dependency on government handouts.

传统基金会的保守派分析人士瑞秋.舍菲尔德认为，政府需要继续努力打击诈骗与滥用行为，减少对政府补贴的依赖：

“It should be reformed to promote work so that able-bodied adults work, prepare for work, to at least look for work in exchange for receiving assistance. That’s fair to the taxpayers and it is also in the best interest of the recipients,” said Sheffield.

“这个体制应该改革，让有能力的人去工作，或有所准备，至少要努力寻求工作来换取政府补助。这才是对纳税人公平也对接受补助的人最有利的作法。”

Advocates for the poor say most people on food stamps do work, but their wages are not enough to provide for their families. The large department store Walmart came under criticism recently for holding a Thanksgiving food donation drive for its own employees in need.

为贫穷人口争取权益的人士说领食品券的人也在工作，但他们的工资不足以养活家人。美国大型连锁店沃尔玛最近为自己的员工举办慈善募捐而引发关注和批评。

Banks says it is not surprising that many working families still need food stamps, which are provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program called SNAP.

首都地区食品救助的班克斯说，很多劳动者家庭需要食品券补贴并不令人意外：

“The majority of people who use the SNAP program, they work nine to five [o’clock] every single day. They’re working families. They’re the working poor. They need help and assistance. For some this is their last step to getting back on their feet,” said Banks.

“领取食品券的人大多数都在朝9晚5，非常努力地工作。他们是劳动人民，他们生活贫困。他们需要帮助。对很多人来说这是他们改善生活的第一步。”

This year as Americans gather for traditional Thanksgiving feasts, there may be less food on the table for millions of working poor.

感恩节即将到来之际，很多贫困家庭可能在寻求帮助为家人准备一顿感恩节晚餐。