VOA慢速英語(yǔ):國(guó)會(huì)就美國(guó)進(jìn)出口銀行工作展開(kāi)討論

這里是美國(guó)之音經(jīng)濟(jì)報(bào)道。

A policy dispute is taking shape in Washington over a government agency that helps exporters. On one side is the American business community. On the other side are conservative Republican Party lawmakers. Unless Congress takes action, the Export-Import Bank of the United States could be forced to stop accepting new customers at the end of June.

華盛頓正在就一份關(guān)于政府機(jī)構(gòu)幫助出口商貿(mào)易的政策展開(kāi)爭(zhēng)論。一方面是美國(guó)企業(yè)界，另一方面是保守的共和黨議員。除非國(guó)會(huì)采取行動(dòng)，否則美國(guó)進(jìn)出口銀行將會(huì)在六月底被迫通知接收新客戶(hù)。

W.S. Darley and Company is a 108-year-old family business. It makes fire trucks in the United States, and sells them all over the world.

W.S. Darley公司是一個(gè)有108年歷史的家族式企業(yè)。該企業(yè)在美國(guó)生產(chǎn)消防車(chē)，然后銷(xiāo)往世界各地。

The Export-Import Bank provides loans or other assistance to buyers of U.S. products. Peter Darley is Darley's Chief Executive Officer.

進(jìn)出口銀行為美國(guó)產(chǎn)品買(mǎi)家提供貸款或者其他服務(wù)。Peter Darley是Darley公司的首席執(zhí)行官。

"They (the customers) can spread their payments out over a period of time, makes it more affordable."

他們(買(mǎi)家)可以在一段時(shí)間內(nèi)分期付款，這樣還比較好接受。

Business leaders and officials say small companies making products from pickles to ice cream have received help from the Export-Import Bank. The bank's supporters recently met in Washington. They say U.S. exports would slow without help from the government agency. And that, they say, would hurt economic growth.

商界領(lǐng)袖和政府官員說(shuō)一些小企業(yè)從制作咸菜到冰激凌的公司都獲得了進(jìn)出口銀行的幫助。最近銀行支持者在華盛頓舉行了會(huì)晤。他們說(shuō)美國(guó)出口如果沒(méi)有政府機(jī)構(gòu)的幫助增長(zhǎng)速度就會(huì)放緩。他們還說(shuō)這樣就會(huì)對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展造成損傷。

The Export-Import Bank also provides help to big companies. The aircraft maker Boeing receives help from the bank. Boeing says it would have to move some of its manufacturing jobs overseas without the help it receives.

進(jìn)出口銀行同時(shí)還向大企業(yè)提供服務(wù)。飛機(jī)制造商波音公司就收到了該銀行的幫助。波音公司稱(chēng)如果沒(méi)有改銀行的幫助其可能將會(huì)把一些制造工作安排在海外國(guó)家。

But Delta Airlines has a different opinion about the government agency. Delta says the bank has helped foreign customers buy airplanes from Boeing at a lower cost than it can. The airline company says that hurts its profits and U.S. aviation jobs.

但是三角航空公司對(duì)政府機(jī)構(gòu)持不同意見(jiàn)。三角航空公司說(shuō)銀行幫助外國(guó)客戶(hù)以比其出價(jià)更低的成本從波音公司購(gòu)買(mǎi)飛機(jī)。航空公司表示這會(huì)損害到其自身利益和美國(guó)航空工作。

Delta's concerns are one reason for planned hearings next month in the U.S. Senate. This week, the House of Representatives' Financial Services Committee held hearings. Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling is a Republican and chairman of the committee. Before the hearing, he said big companies get the majority of the bank's assistance.

三角航空公司的擔(dān)心是下個(gè)月在美國(guó)參議院舉行聽(tīng)證會(huì)的原因之一。本周時(shí)候眾議院金融服務(wù)委員會(huì)舉行了聽(tīng)證會(huì)。德克薩斯議員 Jeb Hensarling是一位共和黨議員也是委員會(huì)的主席。在聽(tīng)證會(huì)開(kāi)始前，他說(shuō)大企業(yè)公司獲得了大部分的銀行支持服務(wù)。

"The smarter and fairer way to promote American exports is by fundamental tax reform, strong trade agreements, a regulatory freeze with the exception of health and safety, and greater American energy independence with projects like the keystone pipeline."

促進(jìn)美國(guó)出口工作更加明智和公平需要通過(guò)基本的稅制改革，強(qiáng)大的貿(mào)易協(xié)定，凍結(jié)除健康和安全之外的監(jiān)管法規(guī)和像Keystone輸油管道這類(lèi)能讓美國(guó)取得更大能源獨(dú)立性的項(xiàng)目。

But supporters argue that the Export-Import Bank provides important help when competing with government-supported foreign companies. The head of the bank, Fred Hochberg, says his agency helps both large and small U.S. Businesses.

但是支持者認(rèn)為進(jìn)出口銀行在與政府支持的外國(guó)企業(yè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)時(shí)能夠提供重要幫助。銀行行長(zhǎng)Fred Hochberg說(shuō)他的機(jī)構(gòu)同時(shí)為美國(guó)大，小企業(yè)提供幫助服務(wù)。

"Companies come to us and say we either have to meet the competition, because foreign governments are supporting our competitors, or we are selling in a market where conventional financing is simply not available."

來(lái)找我們尋求幫助的公司講，我們或者面臨競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，因?yàn)橥鈬?guó)政府支持我們的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手，或者我們?cè)谝粋€(gè)連常規(guī)融資都做不到的市場(chǎng)做生意。

Fred Hochberg says he is hopeful the Export-Import Bank will survive. He notes that 60 nations, including China and India, have similar agencies to support their exports.

Fred Hochberg說(shuō)他有信心進(jìn)出口銀行能夠繼續(xù)生存下去。他指出，有60個(gè)國(guó)家擁有類(lèi)似的機(jī)構(gòu)來(lái)支持他們的出口，其中包括中國(guó)和印度。

And that's the VOA Learning English Economics Report. I'm Mario Ritter.

VOA's Jim Randle reported this story from Washington. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

customers – n. someone who buys good or services from a business

conventional – adj. used and accepted by most people

fundamental – adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something

competition – n. the act of trying to do as well or better than others