国会危机:美国财政悬崖最后期限将至

Amid Congressional Leadership Crisis, Momentous¹ US Fiscal² Deadlines Loom³ 国会危机:美国财政悬崖最后期限将至

WASHINGTON—

The U.S. Congress faces critical fiscal deadlines at a time of upheaval⁴ and uncertainty⁵ on Capitol Hill.  Lawmakers are returning from a weeklong recess⁶ still wondering who will lead the House of Representatives.

It has been nearly a month since House Speaker John Boehner announced his departure effective at the end of this month.

No successor has been identified, much less chosen.  Congressman Paul Ryan, the 2012 Republican vice⁷ presidential nominee⁸, gives no sign of acquiescing⁹ to intense pressure from party elders to seek the post.  A leadership vacuum could force Boehner to postpone¹⁰ his retirement¹¹ and lead a fractured Republican caucus¹² as momentous deadlines loom.

Last week, the Treasury¹³ Department informed Boehner the U.S. government risks running out of funds by November 3 unless the federal borrowing limit is increased.

“It would put the United States at real risk for the very first time in our history of not being able to pay our bills,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest Thursday.

Many Republicans, especially ultra-conservative hardliners, have long refused to vote to raise the debt ceiling unless the measure is accompanied by spending cuts to slow the pace at which America runs up the national debt.

"You know, to be honest, what I'd like to see on the debt limit is Republican leaders fight for something, for Pete's sake. Anything,” said Republican Senator and presidential candidate Ted¹⁴ Cruz on NBC’s Meet the Press program Sunday.

“We have a $19 trillion debt.  The reason that is a problem is we only have an $18 trillion economy,” said another presidential aspirant¹⁵, Republican Senator Marco Rubio at a recent campaign event.

President Barack Obama has ruled out negotiations¹⁶ over the borrowing limit, arguing it's Congress’ duty to avoid a catastrophic U.S. debt default.

“Increasing the debt limit does not authorize¹⁷ any new spending.  It simply allows the Treasury to pay for expenditures¹⁸ that Congress themselves already have approved,” said Earnest.

In addition to the debt ceiling deadline, Congress has until December 11 to extend the U.S. government’s spending authority or risk another partial federal shutdown.  Discussions between the White House and congressional leaders are reportedly progressing on a longer term spending deal, but until a new House speaker is chosen, it is not clear who would see a deal to fruition or bring it up for a vote.

1 momentous   

adj.重要的，重大的

参考例句：

• I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。
• The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

2 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

3 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

4 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 acquiescing   

v.默认，默许( acquiesce的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Japan were acquiescing in being strangled. 日本默然同意别人把它捏死。 来自辞典例句
• Smith urged Ariza to retract his trade request and be patient several times before finally acquiescing. 在阿里扎提出要被交易时，在答应之前，他曾经数次要求对方多加考虑。 来自互联网

10 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

11 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

12 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

13 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

14 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

15 aspirant   

n.热望者；adj.渴望的

参考例句：

• Any aspirant to the presidency here must be seriously rich.要想当这儿的主席一定要家财万贯。
• He is among the few aspirants with administrative experience.他是为数不多的几个志向远大而且有管理经验的人之一。

16 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

17 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

18 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》