US Automakers Ask Congress for $34 Billion in Aid

The United States is already one year into a recession. That was the news this week from the National Bureau of Economic Research. The downturn is the longest since a recession that began in nineteen eighty-one and lasted sixteen months. 

美国进入衰退已经一年，这是美国经济研究局本周的消息。本次低迷是自 1928 开始持续 16 个月的衰退以来最长的一次。 

Economists generally wait for production to shrink for six months in a row before they declare a recession. But the bureau, a private group, uses a wider set of information to measure the economy. The news only confirmed what many people already knew: that the world's largest economy is weak and may not recover soon. 

经常学家通常会等待产出连续六个月紧缩，才会宣布衰退。但是，美国经济研究局（一家私人团体）使用更为广泛的信息，来衡量美国经济。该消息恰恰确认了许多人早已了然的事：全球最大的经济体疲弱，并且不会很快恢复。 

Worsening conditions have led to a big drop in spending, especially on costly products like new cars. Even Japanese automaker Toyota saw its sales fall thirty-four percent in the United States in November from a year ago. 

日益变坏的状况导致了消费的急剧下降，尤其是诸如新（小）汽车之类的昂贵产品。甚至日本汽车制造厂商丰田也发现：与上年 11 月相比，其在美国的销售下降了 34% 。 

The heads of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors returned to Congress this week to again ask for federal aid. Congressional leaders denounced them two weeks ago after they came in private jets with no clear plans for saving their industry. 

克莱斯勒、福特和通用汽车的领导本周返回国会，再次请求联邦救援。二周之前，他们乘私人飞机来（国会），并且没有挽救汽车业的清晰计划，国会领导拒绝了他们。 

This time, the chiefs drove to Washington in fuel-saving hybrid vehicles. And their companies presented detailed restructuring plans. The request for aid has risen from twenty-five billion dollars two weeks ago to thirty-four billion in loans and credit lines. 

这一次，这些领导开着节能混合动力车来到华盛顿。另外，他们的公司递交了详细重组计划。救援请求从二周之前的 250 亿美元上升为贷款与最高信用相结合的 340 亿美元。 

G.M. wants almost half of that, and says it needs four billion dollars this month. It warned that without support it cannot continue to operate. 

GM （通用汽车）希望获得其中的一半，并且声称本月需要 40 亿美元。通用汽车警告说，如果没有支持，通用汽车无法继续经营。 

Ford is in a better position. But the sharing of suppliers means it could be affected if G.M. or Chrysler fails. Ford is asking for a nine billion dollar credit line in case it needs it. 

福特的状况好些。但是，由于拥有同样的供应商，如果通用汽车或 克莱斯勒破产，那么福特也会受到影响。福特请求 90 亿美元的最高信用（假如需要信用）。 

Chrysler is the smallest and most troubled of America's Big Three. It says it needs a seven billion dollar loan by the end of the month. 

克莱斯勒是美国三巨头中最小的一家，并且是最严重的一家（汽车制造厂商）。克莱斯勒声称，在本月底之前需要 70 亿美元的贷款。 

Two days of congressional hearings began Thursday in the Senate Banking Committee. The chairman, Democrat Chris Dodd, said he would support helping the automakers for the good of the economy. But the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby, continued to express opposition to a bailout. 

二天的国会听证在参议院银行业委员会、于周四开始。该委员会主席（民主党克利斯 . 多德）说，为了美国经济的健康，他将帮助这些汽车制造厂商。但是，该委员会最高共和党人 理查德 . 谢尔比仍然表示反对救援。 

A main root of the world financial crisis is the weak housing market in the United States. The Treasury Department has been under pressure to help troubled homeowners. Now comes news that the department is developing a plan aimed at reducing interest rates on mortgage loans for some buyers of homes. That could be good for homeowners trying to sell. 

世界金融危机的一个主要根本原因是疲弱的美国房产市场。财政部迫于压力帮助房主。目前的消息是财政部正在制定一项计划，旨在减少某些买房人抵押贷款的利息。这对期望出售的房主有利。