美国总统奥巴马国情咨文

Obama’s State of Union speech(中英对照)

President addresses nation on health care, soaring deficit, jobs

updated 9:25 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2010

Full text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech, as released by White House:

（Part I）

Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For two hundred and twenty years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they have done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.

It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable - that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain. These were times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements; our hesitations and our fears; America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, and one people.

Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.

One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted - immediately and aggressively. And one year later, the worst of the storm has passed.

But the devastation remains. One in ten Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder.

This recession has also compounded the burdens that America's families have been dealing with for decades - the burden of working harder and longer for less; of being unable to save enough to retire or help kids with college.

So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President. These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in places like Elkhart, Indiana and Galesburg, Illinois. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children - asking why they have to move from their home, or when their mom or dad will be able to go back to work.

For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded but hard work on Main Street isn't; or why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.

So we face big and difficult challenges. And what the American people hope - what they deserve - is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that pays the bills. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give their children a better life.

You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars and teaching kids; starting businesses and going back to school. They're coaching little league and helping their neighbors. As one woman wrote me, "We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged."

It is because of this spirit — this great decency and great strength — that I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is b. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength.

And tonight, I'd like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.

It begins with our economy.

Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the same banks that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to do. And if there's one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans, it's that we all hated the bank bailout. I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.

But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular — I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost.

So I supported the last administration's efforts to create the financial rescue program. And when we took the program over, we made it more transparent and accountable. As a result, the markets are now stabilized, and we have recovered most of the money we spent on the banks.

To recover the rest, I have proposed a fee on the biggest banks. I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea, but if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.

Tax cuts
As we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps to get our economy growing again, save as many jobs as possible, and help Americans who had become unemployed.

That's why we extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans; made health insurance 65% cheaper for families who get their coverage through COBRA; and passed 25 different tax cuts.

Let me repeat: We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95% of working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. As a result, millions of Americans had more to spend on gas, and food, and other necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers. And we haven't raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person. Not a single dime.

Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed. 200,000 work in construction and clean energy. 300,000 are teachers and other education workers. Tens of thousands are cops, firefighters, correctional officers, and first responders. And we are on track to add another one and a half million jobs to this total by the end of the year.

The plan that has made all of this possible, from the tax cuts to the jobs, is the Recovery Act. That's right - the Recovery Act, also known as the Stimulus Bill. Economists on the left and the right say that this bill has helped saved jobs and avert disaster. But you don't have to take their word for it.

Talk to the small business in Phoenix that will triple its workforce because of the Recovery Act.

Talk to the window manufacturer in Philadelphia who said he used to be skeptical about the Recovery Act, until he had to add two more work shifts just because of the business it created.

Talk to the single teacher raising two kids who was told by her principal in the last week of school that because of the Recovery Act, she wouldn't be laid off after all.

There are stories like this all across America. And after two years of recession, the economy is growing again. Retirement funds have started to gain back some of their value. Businesses are beginning to invest again, and slowly some are starting to hire again.

But I realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of men and women who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from; who send out resumes week after week and hear nothing in response. That is why jobs must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why I am calling for a new jobs bill tonight.

Now, the true engine of job creation in this country will always be America's businesses. But government can create the conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more workers.

We should start where most new jobs do - in small businesses, companies that begin when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, or a worker decides its time she became her own boss.

Through sheer grit and determination, these companies have weathered the recession and are ready to grow. But when you talk to small business owners in places like Allentown, Pennsylvania or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though banks on Wall Street are lending again, they are mostly lending to bigger companies. But financing remains difficult for small business owners across the country.

So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I am also proposing a new small business tax credit — one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. While we're at it, let's also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses, large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment.

Jobs
Next, we can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the interstate highway system, our nation has always been built to compete. There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.

Tomorrow, I'll visit Tampa, Fla., where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help our nation move goods, services, and information. We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities, and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it's time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs in the United States of America.

The House has passed a jobs bill that includes some of these steps. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.

But the truth is, these steps still won't make up for the seven million jobs we've lost over the last two years. The only way to move to full employment is to lay a new foundation for long-term economic growth, and finally address the problems that America's families have confronted for years.

We cannot afford another so-called economic "expansion" like the one from last decade — what some call the "lost decade" — where jobs grew more slowly than during any prior expansion; where the income of the average American household declined while the cost of health care and tuition reached record highs; where prosperity was built on a housing bubble and financial speculation.

From the day I took office, I have been told that addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious - that such efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is too gridlocked, and that we should just put things on hold for awhile.

For those who make these claims, I have one simple question:

How long should we wait? How long should America put its future on hold?

You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany's not waiting. India's not waiting. These nations aren't standing still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.

Well I do not accept second-place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.

One place to start is serious financial reform. Look, I am not interested in punishing banks, I'm interested in protecting our economy. A b, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.

We need to make sure consumers and middle-class families have the information they need to make financial decisions. We can't allow financial institutions, including those that take your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy.

The House has already passed financial reform with many of these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it. Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back.

Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history — an investment that could lead to the world's cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year's investment in clean energy - in the North Carolina company that will create 1200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries; or in the California business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar panels.

But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

Education
I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate. I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy; and I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future — because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.

Third, we need to export more of our goods. Because the more products we make and sell to other countries, the more jobs we support right here in America. So tonight, we set a new goal: We will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in America. To help meet this goal, we're launching a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports, and reform export controls consistent with national security.

We have to seek new markets aggressively, just as our competitors are. If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores. But realizing those benefits also means enforcing those agreements so our trading partners play by the rules. And that's why we will continue to shape a Doha trade agreement that opens global markets, and why we will strengthen our trade relations in Asia and with key partners like South Korea, Panama, and Colombia.

Fourth, we need to invest in the skills and education of our people.

This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. The idea here is simple: instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform - reform that raises student achievement, inspires students to excel in math and science, and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to inner-cities. In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class education. In this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than their potential.

When we renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reforms to all fifty states. Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. I urge the Senate to follow the House and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career pathway to the children of so many working families. To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer-subsidies that go to banks for student loans. Instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants. And let's tell another one million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only ten percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after twenty years — and forgiven after ten years if they choose a career in public service. Because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college. And it's time for colleges and universities to get serious about cutting their own costs — because they too have a responsibility to help solve this problem.

Obama’s State of Union speech 中文翻译：

各位女士、副总统拜登先生，各位国会议员、尊敬的来宾以及全体美国人民：

我们的宪法规定，美国总统需定时向国会报告国家情况。在过去220年的时间里，无论是繁荣和平时期，还是战争或危机时期，甚至即使存在激烈的冲突和战斗，历届美国总统都完成了这一使命。

这些历史时刻吸引着我们去回顾并呈现出我们的进步是不可避免的，美国一直注定会取得成功。然而，当美国股市持续了10年的牛市崩溃、盟军于奥马哈海滩登陆时，我们一直拥有的胜利曾遭受质疑。那个“黑色星期二”以及游行民众在那个流血的星期日被镇压时，美国的未来充满了不确定性。这些都是历史上考验我们的信念和美国力量的时刻。无论我们拥有怎样的分歧，是否犹豫并感到恐惧，美国最终取得了胜利，因为我们选择团结起来作为一个国家、一个民族前进。

今天，我们再一次面临着历史的考验，我们也再一次必须接受历史的挑战。

一年前，美国处于两场战争之中，经济遭遇严重衰退，金融体系处在崩溃边缘，政府深陷债务之中，我在这样的一个时刻当选了美国总统。不同政治派别的专家对我们提出警告，如果我们不采取行动，我们可能会面临第二次经济大萧条。所以我们果断而迅速地采取了行动，一年后的今天，最糟糕的暴风雨时期已经过去了。

但是，危机带来的灾难性影响还在继续，现在仍有十分之一的美国人没有工作。许多企业关闭，房屋价格下降，小的城镇和乡村受到的冲击更加严重。对那些本已很贫穷的人来说，生活变得更加艰难。

这次经济危机使美国家庭几十年来承载的重压进一步恶化。美国家庭一直面临一种重负，即他们长时间而努力地工作，但获得的报酬并无法实现为退休储蓄或帮助孩子完成大学教育。

所以，我能够了解人们现在的焦虑，这些焦虑并不是新出现的问题，而解决这些问题正是我竞选美国总统的目的所在。几年来，在埃尔克哈特、盖尔斯堡、印第安纳州和伊利诺伊州，我亲眼目睹了人们的困境，我也从每晚阅读的信件中了解了许多。最让人难过的是阅读那些孩子的来信，孩子们在信中询问为什么他们必须从家里搬出来，或者他们的爸爸妈妈什么时候才能恢复工作。

对这些美国公民以及其它一些人来说，改变的到来似乎过于缓慢。一些人已感到灰心，还有一些人甚至感到愤怒。他们无法理解为什么看起来华尔街那些不好的行为却受到了嘉奖，而普通民众努力工作却没有回报；为什么政府看起来似乎不能够或不愿意解决人们的问题；他们已经厌烦了党派分歧、叫喊和卑劣的争斗。

所以，我们面临着巨大而艰难的挑战。美国人希望看到的、也是他们应该看到的，是我们所有人，无论民主党人士还是共和党人士，能够解决我们之间的分歧，克服我们两党之间已近乎麻木的偏袒，那些为我们投票使我们今天能够站在这里的人们，他们拥有不同的背景和信仰，但他们所担忧的也和我们一样。他们都持有共同的愿望，即一份能够获得薪水支付帐单的工作，一个能够在生活中不断进步的机会，最重要的是，能够有能力为他们的孩子提供更好的生活。

知道他们还共同拥有什么吗？那就是面对逆境顽强的韧性。在经历了几乎是美国历史上最困难的一年后，他们仍然忙于建造汽车、教育孩子、开展生意以及回到学校读书，他们为小社团提供辅导并帮助邻居，正如一位女性民众给我的信中写道：“我们对当前感觉担忧但同时也充满希望，我们在努力奋斗并被鼓励。”

正是因为这种精神，这种伟大的尊严和力量，使我从未像今晚这样对美国的未来充满希望。尽管我们目前情况艰难，但我们的国家十分强大。我们永远不会放弃，不会停止努力，不会允许恐惧或者分歧破坏我们这种宝贵的精神。在这个全新的10年里，美国人将拥有与他们的尊严相称、能够代表他们力量的政府。

今晚，我们将讨论如何共同履行这一承诺。

首先，要始于我们的经济。

在我上任之初，最迫切的任务就是支撑那些引起危机的银行免于倒闭。这并不是一项容易的任务。如果说民主党和共和党曾就某件事达成共识的话，那就是我们都不愿对银行实施救助。

然而，在我竞选总统的时候，我就曾承诺不会只做那些受公众欢迎的事，而是做必须要做的事。假如我们任由金融体系崩溃，我们或许将面对双倍于当前水平的失业率。无疑更多的企业将关闭，也必将会有更多人失去他们的住所。

所以，我决定支持上届政府创建的金融救助项目，并在我们实施这一项目时，竭力对其负责并增加透明度。现在，美国市场已经稳定，并且我们已经收回了向银行业发放的大部分救助资金。

为了实现其它领域的复苏，我已经提议向大型银行征税。我知道这一想法一定不会受到华尔街的欢迎，但是如果这些企业能够重新承担高额的奖金发放，他们也一定能够承担适当的费用，回报在其需要救助时向他们伸出援手的纳税人。

随着金融体系的稳定，我们也逐渐重新恢复了经济增长，同时尽可能地保留住了更多的工作岗位，并帮助了那些失去工作的美国民众。

这也是为什么我们能够为1800多万美国失业人员延长或增加了失业津贴，使得统一综合预算汇编法案(COBRA)覆盖的美国家庭医疗保险费用下降65%，并通过了25项不同的税收减免政策。

为了减轻中产家庭的负担，我们还必须进行医疗保险改革。

让我们清楚一点，我选择这个问题并不是为了取得立法胜利。同时，很清楚的一点是我这么做也不是为了政治因素。

我着手医疗问题是因为我一直以来听到太多美国人依赖保险才能活下去，而有的病人没有医保，有的家庭即使有医保，一场疾病也能让全家破产。

经过近一个世纪的努力，美国人民现在比以往任何时候都更有保障。我们采取的措施将保护每一名美国人，免受保险业不良经营的危害。市场竞争将使小型公司和未投保的美国人有机会选择能力范围内的医疗计划。每一个保险计划都必须涵盖预防性医疗。再次，我必须感谢第一夫人米歇尔-奥巴马(Michelle Obama)她今年发起了一项针对日益严重的儿童肥胖问题的全国性运动。

这些措施同时也保护已投保者保持他们的医疗计划和就诊医生。数以百万的家庭和公司的医疗成本和保险费将下降。根据国会预算办公室，这是一个独立组织，各党都把它作为国会工作成效的统计员，这些举措将在接下来的二十年中，将预算赤字减少1万亿美元。

尽管如此，这仍然是一个复杂问题。讨论越多，人民的怀疑就越多。我本应更多地向民众解释地更清楚，因为民众担心在所有的游说和妥协后，这些措施最后还能为美国人带来什么。

但我也知道这个问题还没有彻底解决。仍然会有人失去他们的保险，赤字增加，保险费提高，病人无法得到治疗，小型企业不投保，我与在座各位将与这些美国人站在一起。

我希望各位重新考虑我们的提议。许多医生、护士和医疗专家认为这些措施将极大改善现状，但是如果两党能提出更好的方案来降低保险费，减少赤字，覆盖未投保者和老年人保险，改善保险公司陋习，我也非常欢迎。我对国会的要求是：不要停止改革，我们的工作已接近完成，让我们尽力做到最后。