VOA常速英语2013--聚焦华盛顿—关注预算最后期限（在线收听）

Washington Week: Focus on Budget Deadline 聚焦华盛顿—关注预算最后期限

President Barack Obama’s trip to South Africa to attend a memorial service for former president Nelson Mandela comes as Congress works to wrap up pressing end-of-year business. Obama will be overseas while lawmakers race to meet a budget deadline and ponder a possible tightening of economic sanctions against Iran.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama will lead a delegation to Johannesburg that is expected to include former president George W. Bush.

总统奥巴马将带领代表团赴约翰内斯堡，前总统乔治·W·布什有望也在其中。

“I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life.  My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid,” said President Obama.

“我是受纳尔逊·曼德拉一生激发的无数人之一，我的第一个政治行动，第一次参与政策和政治问题，就是反对隔离。”

The White House has scrambled to rearrange the president’s schedule for a trip during the only full week both houses of Congress are expected to be in session for the remainder of the year.  Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to fund the government or risk another partial federal shutdown early next year.

白宫忙于重新安排总统的访问日程，因为也只有在这一整周中，国会两院有望为本年度再次举行会议。立法者们要在周五最后期限之前为政府筹资，否则明年早些时候就要面临下一场联邦部分停摆。

Obama wants a bipartisan agreement that includes an extension of federal benefits for the unemployed.

奥巴马希望达成一份两党协议，包括为失业者延长联邦补助。

“If Congress refuses to act, it will not just hurt families already struggling.  It will actually harm our economy.  Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective ways to boost our economy,” said Obama.

“如果国会拒绝行动，这不仅会影响那些已经苦苦挣扎的家庭，还会影响我们的经济，失业保险是促进经济发展的一个最有效办法。”

The president should focus less on government solutions and more on energizing the private sector, according to the Speaker of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, John Boehner.

约翰·博纳是共和党控制的众议院议长，他认为总统不应那么多地关注政府的解决办法，而是更多地重视促进企业发展。

“There is no doubt that under President Obama our country has fallen into what I will call a new normal; slow economic growth, high unemployment, stagnant wages.  Listen, the president is more focused on increasing reliance on government programs than pro-growth policies that would create more American jobs and better American wages,” said Boehner.

“毫无疑问，在总统奥巴马的领导下，我们国家陷入一种新的常态：经济发展放缓、高失业率、工资不涨。听着，总统更多地关注增加对政府项目的依赖，而不是促进发展、为美国人创造更多就业机会和更多收入的政策。”

The coming week may also reveal whether lawmakers intend to follow through on tougher sanctions against Iran, despite administration warnings such measures could torpedo international negotiations over the country’s nuclear program.

未来的一周，议员们是否愿意对伊朗采取更强制裁将会揭晓，尽管政府警告这样的措施将破坏就伊朗核项目而进行的国际协商。