當?shù)貢r間1月28日晚上9點(北京時間29日上午10點),美國總統(tǒng)奧巴馬在首都華盛頓的國會發(fā)表年度國情咨文演講。
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans:
議長先生,副總統(tǒng)先生,國會議員們,美國同胞們:
Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to lift America's graduation rate to its highest level in more than three decades.
今天,在美國教師會花費額外時間幫助有需要的學生,并為將美國學生的畢業(yè)率提高到30多年來的最高水平盡職盡責。
An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part to add to the more than 8 million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.
企業(yè)家在其技術創(chuàng)業(yè)公司夜以繼日,為過去4年來增加800萬新的就業(yè)崗位盡職盡責。
An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
汽車工人在改進世界上最好最節(jié)油的汽車,為幫助美國減少對外國石油的依賴盡職盡責。
A farmer prepared for the spring after the strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in our history. A rural doctor gave a young child the first prescription to treat asthma that his mother could afford. A man took the bus home from the graveyard shift, bone-tired but dreaming big dreams for his son. And in tight-knit communities across America, fathers and mothers will tuck in their kids, put an arm around their spouse, remember fallen comrades, and give thanks for being home from a war that, after twelve long years, is finally coming to an end.
農(nóng)民在我國歷史上5年來最強勁的農(nóng)業(yè)出口后準備春耕。農(nóng)村醫(yī)生為幼兒開出他媽媽承擔得起的藥方,治療哮喘。男人下班回家雖精疲力竭,但卻懷著對兒子更大的希望。在美國各地的社區(qū),父母為孩子蓋好被子,與自己的伴侶互相擁抱。人們緬懷逝去的同事,感謝那場12年的戰(zhàn)爭終于結束,終于平安回到家中。
Tonight, this chamber speaks with one voice to the people we represent: It is you, our citizens, who make the state of our union strong.
今晚,這個大廳用一個聲音對我們代表的人民說,正是你們——我們的公民——創(chuàng)造了我們強大的聯(lián)邦。
Here are the results of your efforts: The lowest unemployment rate in over five years. A rebounding housing market. A manufacturing sector that's adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s. More oil produced at home than we buy from the rest of the world - the first time that's happened in nearly 20 years. Our deficits - cut by more than half. And for the first time in over a decade, business leaders around the world have declared that China is no longer the world's No. 1 place to invest; America is.
這是你們奮斗的結果:失業(yè)率5年來最低、房地產(chǎn)市場反彈、制造業(yè)的就業(yè)崗位自上世紀90年代以來首次增加、近20年來國產(chǎn)石油產(chǎn)量首次超過進口。我們的赤字削減一半還多。10年來,世界商界領袖第一次宣布世界首選投資地點是美國而非中國。
That's why I believe this can be a breakthrough year for America. After five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is better-positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth.
這就是為何我相信今年將是美國突破之年。在堅強拼搏5年后,美國比地球上任何其他國家都為21世紀準備得更好。
The question for everyone in this chamber, running through every decision we make this year, is whether we are going to help or hinder this progress. For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government. It's an important debate - one that dates back to our very founding. But when that debate prevents us from carrying out even the most basic functions of our democracy - when our differences shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States - then we are not doing right by the American people.
留給這個大廳里所有人的問題是,我們今年做出的每個決定是有利于還是有礙于這種進步。多年來,這座城市忙于爭執(zhí)聯(lián)邦政府的規(guī)模。這是可以追溯到我們建國時期的重要的辯論。但當辯論阻止我們發(fā)揮民主的最基本功能、當我們的分歧迫使政府關門、威脅美國的信仰和聲譽時,我們做的并不正確。
As president, I'm committed to making Washington work better, and rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us here. I believe most of you are, too. Last month, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, this Congress finally produced a budget that undoes some of last year's severe cuts to priorities like education. Nobody got everything they wanted, and we can still do more to invest in this country's future while bringing down our deficit in a balanced way. But the budget compromise should leave us freer to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises.
作為總統(tǒng),我致力于讓華盛頓工作得更好,重建將我們送到這里的人民的信心。我相信你們大多數(shù)人也是如此。上月,由于民主黨人和共和黨人的努力,這個國會終于通過預算,一舉扭轉削減教育等優(yōu)先項目資金的態(tài)勢。沒有人能夠得到他想要的一切,但我們依然能夠為投資國家未來做得更多,同時以平穩(wěn)的方式減少我們的赤字。不過,預算妥協(xié)應當讓我們放手增加新的就業(yè),而非增加新的危機。
In the coming months, let's see where else we can make progress together. Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want - for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all - the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.
在未來的幾個月,讓我們看看在哪些地方我們可以共同進步。讓今年成為行動之年。這是大多數(shù)美國人想要的,身處這個會議廳里的每一個人,都關注他們的生活,他們的希望,他們的愿望。而我相信,不分種族,地域和黨派,不論老少貧富,將這個國家的人民團結在一起的就是一條簡單深刻的信念:只要你努力工作,勇于承擔責任,你就能夠出人頭地。