Saving Your Tax Dollars, Bottom-Up(3)
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2009-12-28 01:26 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  Good morning.  Before I begin, I want to say a brief word about the historic vote which took place early this morning.  The United States Senate knocked down a filibuster海盗,暴兵 aimed at blocking a final vote on health care reform, and scored a big victory for the American people.  By standing2 up to the special interests -- who've prevented reform for decades and who are furiously lobbying against it now -- the Senate has moved us closer to reform that makes a tremendous极大的,巨大的 difference for families, for seniors, for businesses, and for the country as a whole.

For those who have insurance, reform will mean greater security and stability.  No longer will people with preexisting先前存在 conditions be excluded from coverage3.  No longer will people who are seriously ill be dropped from coverage.  And no longer will families be allowed to go broke because they’re forced to pay exorbitant4过高的,过分的 out-of-pocket expenses.

Many people recall the enormous fights around the Patient's Bill of Rights that never got done.  Well, you know what, the Patient's Bill of Rights is embedded5 in this health care bill and -- to make sure that all Americans who have insurance right now are getting a fair deal from their insurance companies.

Small businesses and those who don’t get insurance through their employer will finally be able to get insurance at a price that they can afford with tax credits to help.  And Medicare will be stronger and its solvency6偿付能力 extended by nearly a decade.  Seniors will get more assistance with prescription7 drug处方药物 costs than they're getting right now.  And finally, these reforms will help the inexorable不可阻挡的,无法改变的 and unsustainable rise in health care costs that are overwhelming families, businesses, and the federal budget.

The Congressional Budget Office now reports that this bill will reduce our deficit8 by $132 billion over the first decade, and by as much as $1.3 trillion in the decade after that.  So I just want to be clear, for all those who are continually carping about how this is somehow a big spending government bill, this cuts our deficit by $132 billion the first 10 years, and by over a trillion in the second.  That argument that opponents are making against this bill does not hold water.

Now, embracing this kind of responsibility in Washington is what also brings us here today.  I am pleased to be joined this morning by my Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ric Shinseki; my budget director, Peter Orszag; and our special guest, last but not least, the winner of the first annual SAVE Award -- and that's Nancy Fichtner of Loma, Colorado.

Having met with Nancy a few minutes ago, I can tell you Nancy means business.  She is a single working mom; she's a clerk with the VA; she's an artist; she's an outdoorswoman; and she is an avid9渴望的,贪婪的 hunter.  In fact, somewhere in the western United States, there is an elk10麋鹿 that is breathing a sigh of relief because Nancy is here instead of where she would have been:  hunting with her kids.  (Laughter.)  And I believe her children are here -- where's Nancy's kids?  There they are right there.  It's great to see you guys.  Nancy's daughter -- she skins and guts11 her elk, so don't mess with胡乱摆弄,干扰 her either.  (Laughter.)

We're all here for a simple reason.  At a time when we face not only a fiscal12 crisis, but also a host of difficult challenges as a nation, business as usual in Washington just won't cut it.  We need a government that's more efficient, that's more effective, and far more fiscally13 responsible.

When my administration walked through the door, the country faced a growing economic downturn as well as a deepening fiscal hole.  Washington had passed massive tax cuts for the wealthy and an expensive new entitlement program without paying for any of it.  Health care costs continued to rise, year after year.  And little effort was made to cut wasteful14 spending.  As a result, over the previous eight years, the national debt doubled -- doubled.  In January, the deficit stood at $1.3 trillion.  And we had to make the difficult decision to add to the deficit in the short term to prevent the potential collapse15 of our economy.

But as I've said, in the long run, we can't continue to spend as if deficits16 don't have consequences; as if waste doesn't matter; as if the hard-earned tax dollars of the American people can be treated like Monopoly money.  That's what we've seen time and time again.  Washington has been more concerned about the next election than the next generation.  It's put off hard choices in spending bill after spending bill, budget after bloated budget.#p#分页标题#e#

Government contracting is a perfect example.  Between 2002 and 2008, the amount spent on government contracts more than doubled.  The amount spent on no-bid, non-competitive contracts jumped by 129 percent.  This is an inexcusable waste of money.  And that's why, back in March, I ordered federal departments and agencies to come up with plans to save up to $40 billion a year in contracting by 2011.  And over the past six months, agencies have been making cuts by looking for better deals, by ending contracts and doing work in house, and by opening up no-bid contracts to competitive bidding.  Because of these efforts, I'm proud to announce today that we are on track to meet our goals.  Twenty-four departments have identified more than $19 billion in savings17 for this year alone.

And this is only the latest example.  At my very first Cabinet meeting, I directed every secretary to join us in scouring18 the budget, line by line, to find ways to make government more efficient and less wasteful.  Together, we identified more than 100 programs to scale back or end completely, as well as other ways to cut costs, finding $17 billion in savings so far.

We're also going after roughly $100 billion wasted on improper19 payments to contractors20, organizations, and individuals. To put this in perspective, these mistakes, and in some cases abuses, cost taxpayers22 more each year than the budgets for the Education and Homeland Security Departments combined.

We have done what some said was impossible:  preventing wasteful spending on outdated23 weapons systems that even the Pentagon said it doesn't need.  And I’ve insisted from the beginning that health care reform will not add one dime24 to our deficit.  And as I just noted25, not only is it not adding to our deficit, it's actually reducing it. 

Finally, I’ve issued a challenge to every man and woman who works for the federal government:  If you see a way that government could do its job better, or do the same job for less money, I want to know about it.  That’s why we started the SAVE Award, to draw on those who know government best to improve how government works.  We asked federal employees to submit reform proposals based on their experiences.  And in a testament26 to the seriousness with which these folks are taking their jobs, we received more than 38,000 proposals in just three weeks.

From these submissions27, four finalists were selected and put to an online vote.  Nancy is here because she won.  Her idea stems from her experience at the VA Medical Center where she works.  She noticed that whenever patients left the hospital, leftover28 medications like eye drops or inhalers were just thrown away.  And often, veterans would have to go right back to the pharmacy29 to refill what was discarded.  So the VA is paying twice -- it’s waste, plain and simple.  And thanks to Nancy -- and to Secretary Shinseki and the folks at Veterans Affairs -- we’re putting a stop to it.  The change is already underway.

Of course, Nancy’s proposal was just one of many great ideas that came to us.  We’ve already begun to implement30 a host of suggestions made through the SAVE contest.  And while promoting electronic paystubs or scheduling Social Security appointments online or re-purposing unused government supplies may not be the most glamorous31 reforms in history, when taken together, these small changes can add up; they add up to a transformation32 of how government works.

And that’s why we’re going to turn the SAVE Award into an annual event.  That’s why we’re holding a forum33 at the White House next month to seek more ideas from the private sector34, specifically about how we can better use technology to reform our government for the 21st century.

After years of irresponsibility, we are once again taking responsibility for every dollar we spend, the same way families do.  It’s true that what I’ve described today will not be enough to get us out of our fiscal mess by itself.  We face a deficit that will take some tough decisions in the next year’s budget and in years to come to get under control.  But these changes will save the American people billions of dollars.  And they’ll help to put in place a government that’s more efficient and effective, that wastes less money on no-bid contracts, that’s cutting bureaucracy and harnessing technology, that’s more fiscally responsible, and that better serve the American taxpayer21.  That’s the government we need.  That’s the government I intend to implement.  That's the kind of government that the American people deserve.  And that’s the kind of government that people like Nancy are helping35 to build each and every day.

So, Nancy, congratulations.  We're proud of you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  We're very proud of your mom.  (Laughter.) That's great.#p#分页标题#e#

Thank you, everybody.

END
11:31 A.M. EST



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 filibuster YkXxK     
n.妨碍议事,阻挠;v.阻挠
参考例句:
  • A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来,作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
  • The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。
2 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
3 coverage nvwz7v     
n.报导,保险范围,保险额,范围,覆盖
参考例句:
  • There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
  • This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。
4 exorbitant G7iyh     
adj.过分的;过度的
参考例句:
  • More competition should help to drive down exorbitant phone charges.更多的竞争有助于降低目前畸高的电话收费。
  • The price of food here is exorbitant. 这儿的食物价格太高。
5 embedded lt9ztS     
a.扎牢的
参考例句:
  • an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
  • He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。
6 solvency twcw5     
n.偿付能力,溶解力
参考例句:
  • Fears about the solvency of the banks precipitated the great economic crash.对银行偿付能力出现恐慌更加速了经济的崩溃。
  • Their targets,including profitability ratios,solvency ratios,asset management ratios.其指标包括盈利比率、偿债能力比率、资产管理比率。
7 prescription u1vzA     
n.处方,开药;指示,规定
参考例句:
  • The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
  • The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。
8 deficit tmAzu     
n.亏空,亏损;赤字,逆差
参考例句:
  • The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
  • We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。
9 avid ponyI     
adj.热心的;贪婪的;渴望的;劲头十足的
参考例句:
  • He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
  • She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。
10 elk 2ZVzA     
n.麋鹿
参考例句:
  • I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近,能听见它吃力的呼吸声。
  • The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。
11 guts Yraziv     
v.狼吞虎咽,贪婪地吃,飞碟游戏(比赛双方每组5人,相距15码,互相掷接飞碟);毁坏(建筑物等)的内部( gut的第三人称单数 );取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 );内脏;消化道的下段;肠
参考例句:
  • I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净,我只需烧一下即可。
  • Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 fiscal agbzf     
adj.财政的,会计的,国库的,国库岁入的
参考例句:
  • The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
  • The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。
13 fiscally 4217641d0ca8ff64c55ee7fbbbeaa396     
在国库方面,财政上,在国库岁入方面
参考例句:
  • Nor will fiscally stretched governments pump more money into the political equivalent of a leper colony. 财政吃紧的政府也不愿将更多的钱投入这个避之唯恐不及的政治瘟疫区。
  • We are more fiscally constrained, which forces us to work smarter and more efficiently. 与F-15相比我们资金上的限制更大了,美女类小游戏,这迫使我们更为精心和有效地工作。
14 wasteful ogdwu     
adj.(造成)浪费的,挥霍的
参考例句:
  • It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
  • Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源,任务已经重新分派。
15 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷
参考例句:
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
16 deficits 08e04c986818dbc337627eabec5b794e     
n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 );赤字;亏空;亏损
参考例句:
  • The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句
17 savings ZjbzGu     
n.存款,储蓄
参考例句:
  • I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假,那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
  • By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时,他的存款已全部用完。
18 scouring 02d824effe8b78d21ec133da3651c677     
擦[洗]净,冲刷,洗涤
参考例句:
  • The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners. 警察正在搜索整个乡村以捉拿逃犯。
  • This is called the scouring train in wool processing. 这被称为羊毛加工中的洗涤系列。
19 improper b9txi     
adj.不适当的,不合适的,不正确的,不合礼仪的
参考例句:
  • Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
  • Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。
20 contractors afd5c0fd2ee43e4ecee8159c7a7c63e4     
n.(建筑、监造中的)承包人( contractor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后,接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 taxpayer ig5zjJ     
n.纳税人
参考例句:
  • The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
  • The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。
22 taxpayers 8fa061caeafce8edc9456e95d19c84b4     
纳税人,纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
  • She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。
23 outdated vJTx0     
adj.旧式的,落伍的,过时的;v.使过时
参考例句:
  • That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了,许多地址已经改了。
  • Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。
24 dime SuQxv     
n.(指美国、加拿大的钱币)一角
参考例句:
  • A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
  • The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。
25 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
26 testament yyEzf     
n.遗嘱;证明
参考例句:
  • This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
  • It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明,编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。
27 submissions 073d6f2167f8d9a96d86b9fe6b9d5b37     
n.提交( submission的名词复数 );屈从;归顺;向法官或陪审团提出的意见或论据
参考例句:
  • The deadline for submissions to the competition will be Easter 1994. 递交参赛申请的截止时间为1994年的复活节。 来自辞典例句
  • Section 556(d) allows the agency to substitute written submissions for oral direct testimony in rulemaking. 第五百五十六条第(四)款准允行政机关在规则制定中用书面提交材料替代口头的直接证言。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
28 leftover V97zC     
n.剩货,残留物,剩饭;adj.残余的
参考例句:
  • These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
  • Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。
29 pharmacy h3hzT     
n.药房,药剂学,制药业,配药业,一批备用药品
参考例句:
  • She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
  • Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。
30 implement WcdzG     
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行
参考例句:
  • Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划,除非你能完成这项计划。
  • The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
31 glamorous ezZyZ     
adj.富有魅力的;美丽动人的;令人向往的
参考例句:
  • The south coast is less glamorous but full of clean and attractive hotels.南海岸魅力稍逊,但却有很多干净漂亮的宾馆。
  • It is hard work and not a glamorous job as portrayed by the media.这是份苦差,并非像媒体描绘的那般令人向往。
32 transformation SnFwO     
n.变化;改造;转变
参考例句:
  • Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
  • He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。
33 forum cilx0     
n.论坛,讨论会
参考例句:
  • They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
  • The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。
34 sector yjczYn     
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形
参考例句:
  • The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
  • The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
35 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
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