VOA慢速英语2019 美政府停摆:议长提议推迟国情咨文演讲

Pelosi: No State of the Union in the House for Trump¹

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is guaranteed to continue at least a bit longer.

美国史上最长的政府停摆至少仍将会持续一段时间。

On Wednesday, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote to President Donald Trump that she will not permit “the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber² until government has opened.”

美国众议院民主党议长南希·佩洛西周三致函川普总统称，在政府开门之前，她不会授权“川普总统在众议院大厅发表国情咨文。”

She added, “Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened.”

她补充说，“我再次期待在政府开门后，欢迎你按照双方同意的日期到众议院来发表这次讲话。”

The State of the Union was to take place January 29.

国情咨文原本将在1月29日举行。

The letter came just hours after Trump, a Republican, dismissed Pelosi’s earlier suggestion that the speech should be delayed or simply sent in as a written copy. The president called the speech his “Constitutional duty.” He added there were no “security concerns” for the event.

在这封信发出前几个小时，作为共和党人的川普总统驳回了佩洛西之前建议的推迟或是以书面形式发表演讲。川普称这次演讲是他的“宪法职责。”他补充说，这一活动没有“安全隐患。”

Trump ended his letter by saying, “It would be so very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!”

川普在这封信的结尾说：“如果没有按时、按期、更重要的是，按地点发表国情咨文，那将是我们国家的悲哀！”

The U.S. Constitution states that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.” America’s first president, George Washington, established the tradition with his first yearly speech to Congress on January 8, 1790.

美国宪法规定总统“应不时向国会发表国情咨文。”美国第一任总统华盛顿于1790年1月8日向国会发表了他第一次年度演讲，从而确立了这一传统。

Washington made the speech in person in the Senate Chamber of Federal Hall in New York City. The city was the temporary seat of government at the time. The second U.S. president, John Adams, also gave his yearly speeches in person.

华盛顿亲自在纽约市联邦大厦参议院议事厅发表了讲话。纽约当时是政府临时所在地。第二任总统亚当斯也亲自发表了他的年度演讲。

But Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third president, chose to send his messages to Congress in writing. That began a tradition that lasted over one hundred years.

但是第三任总统杰斐逊选择以书面形式向国会递交信息，这开启了一项持续一百多年的传统。

In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson personally addressed a joint³ session of Congress. And the tradition would become known as the “State of the Union” under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

到了1913年，威尔逊总统亲自在国会联席会议上发表讲话。这一传统到了罗斯福执政时被称为“国情咨文。”

By tradition, the House and the Senate must pass a resolution for a joint session of Congress to hear the president’s State of the Union. With her letter, Pelosi officially ended any chance for Trump to deliver the speech next week in the House of Representatives.

根据传统，众议院和参议院必须通过决议召开国会联席会议，听取总统的国情咨文。佩洛西在信中正式断绝了川普下周在众议院发表讲话的机会。

When asked for his reaction to Pelosi’s letter, Trump blamed the Democrats⁴ for the government shutdown. He added: “This will go on for a while. Ultimately, the American people will have their way, because they want to see no crime.”

当被问到对佩洛西来函的回应时，川普将政府停摆归咎于民主党。他说：“这还会持续一段时间，最终美国人民会有自己的方式，因为他们不想看到犯罪。”

The partial U.S. government shutdown began on December 22, 2018. It started because Trump asked for $5.7 billion in the federal spending plan to build a wall on the nation’s southern border with Mexico. The president said he would not sign any spending bills without money for the wall.

美国政府部分关门始于2018年12月22日，原因是川普要求联邦开支方案中提供57亿美元用于在美国南部同墨西哥边境修建一道墙。总统称不给造墙资金，他就不会签署任何开支法案。

The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to consider two spending bills to reopen the government. One bill has the money for the wall and one does not. But both bills are not expected to receive the required 60 votes. The Democratic-controlled House has so far refused to give Trump the money.

共和党控制的参议院预计将会考虑两项开支法案以便让政府重新开门。其中一项法案包含造墙资金，另一项不包括。但是预计这两项法案都不会获得所需的60票。到目前为止，民主党控制的众议院拒绝给川普拨这笔钱。

Pelosi stated firmly, “We’re not doing a wall” and called the plan immoral⁵.

佩洛西坚定地说，“我们不造墙。”并称该方案是不道德的。

About 800,000 federal government workers have been forced to stay at home or continue working without pay. Trump is now considering other places where he could deliver the speech.

大约80万联邦工作人员被迫呆在家里或是继续不拿薪水上班。川普正考虑在其它地方发表国情咨文。

Words in This Story

location - n. a place or position

ultimately - adv. at the end of the process, period of time, etc.

immoral - adj. evil or wrong

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。