ECONOMICS REPORT - Deal Reached in Washington to Aid Economy
Thu, 24 Jan 2008
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
经济报道－－美国政府就经济救助达成一致。
2008年1月24日，星期四。
这是VOA特别英语的经济报道。
Last Friday, President Bush called for an economic growth package -- a plan to give a quick shot of energy to the slowing American economy. Now, the administration has an agreement with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House of Representatives.
上周五，布什总统请求一项经济增长方案，该计划将向美国增速放缓的经济提供即时的刺激。目前，美国政府已经与众议院的共和党和民主党达成一致。
President Bush called the one hundred fifty billion dollar deal reached Thursday the right set of policies and the right size. He urged Congress to pass it as soon as possible, saying the economy urgently needs action. He said the plan would lead to higher consumer spending and increased business investment this year.
对于星期二达成的1500亿美元方案，布什总统称之为正确的政策与合适的金额。他敦促议会尽快通过，他说经济极需采取行动。他说，该计划可使今年的消费上升以及（业务）投资增加。
The measures must be approved by the House and the Senate and signed into law by the president. There are three parts to the plan:
First, it would give money in the form of tax rebates to middle-class Americans in hopes they will spend it. Individuals could receive up to six hundred dollars. Married couples could get up to twice that.
这些措施必须获得众议院和参议院的批准，并由总统签署立法。该计划包括三部分：
首先，该计划将以减税的方式向美国中产阶级提供资金，希望他们消费。单身美国人最多可获得600美元，而夫妻最多可获得双倍金额。
Families with children would get extra money. Money would also go to millions who do not earn enough to pay taxes.
Secondly, the plan aims to create jobs through tax breaks for business investment.
有子女的家庭可获得额外的金额。另外，资金也可向未达到交税收入的数百万人提供。
其次，该计划的目的是通过投资税收优惠而创造就业机会。
And thirdly, it seeks to strengthen the housing market. The plan would raise limits on the size of home loans that can be purchased by mortgage financers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This would lower interest rates on those loans.
第三，该计划企图增强房产市场，并提高房产贷款金额的门槛，其中这些贷款可由二家抵押融资公司（即Fannie Mae（美国联邦国民抵押贷款协会）和Freddie Mac（美国联邦住房贷款抵押公司））收购。
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the measures are "timely, targeted and temporary" -- the three goals for an economic stimulus package. She was not totally pleased with the compromise deal but says it will help the economy. If it does not, she added, there will be more to come.
Speaker Pelosi said House leaders will bring the bill for a vote at the earliest date. The Senate, though, may try to expand the package.
Nancy Pelosi议长说，这些措施是“及时的、针对性的并且是暂时的”，这些是这项经济刺激方案的三个目标。她对这一据折衷不是完全满意，但她说，这有助于经济。她补充说，如果没有帮助，那么会有更多的金额。
Pelosi议长说，众议院领导会尽早将这一方案提交投票。但是，参议院可能会加大金额。
Many economists worry that the world's largest economy will enter or has already entered a recession.
On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve moved to help calm financial markets in the United States, and around the world. The Federal Open Market Committee cut the federal funds rate by seventy-five basis points -- a week before it planned to meet. The move brought the rate that banks charge each other to borrow money overnight to three and one-half percent.
许多经济学家担心，全球最大的经济会进入或已经进入衰退。
星期二，美联储采取行动，以安抚美国以及全球的金融市场。美联储公开市场委员会在其计划开会一周之前将联邦基金利率削减75个基点。这一措施使银行间隔夜拆借利率降低到3.5%。
This was the first time the committee has cut rates between meetings since after the September eleventh terrorist attacks in two thousand one. And it may cut rates further when it meets next week.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. I'm Steve Ember.
这是自2001年911恐怖袭击之后，该委员会在二次会议之间首次降低利率。并且，在下周开会时，可能进一步降低利率。
这是VOA特别英语的经济报道，我是Steve Ember。
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