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From VOA Learning English, this is the Health and Lifestyle report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语健康和生活方式报道。
A United States congressional committee has passed a bill aimed at easing approval of future U.S. trade agreements with other countries. The Senate Finance Committee approved Trade Promotion Authority, also known as "fast track" legislation, on Wednesday. The new version of TPA confirms the power of the president to negotiate trade agreements. The measure sets congressional goals and guidance for trade negotiations. But once an agreement is reached, it requires lawmakers to vote either for or against the deal, without proposing amendments.
美国国会日前通过一项议案，内容是关于简化美国未来与其他国家进行贸易的手续。参议院财政委员会在本周三通过了这项贸易促进法案，又叫“快速通道”法案。最新的贸易促进法案确保了总统在贸易谈判中的权力。法案中还规定了国会的目标和贸易谈判的指导。但是，一旦协议已经达成，就要求法律制定者决定究竟是通过还是否决协议，免去了提交修正草案的过程。
The committee passed TPA on a vote of 20 to six. The bill now goes to the full Senate, where heated debate is expected.
委员会以20赞成6否决通过贸易促进法。法案现在将会被送至参议院接受全员表决，预计将会展开一场激烈的辩论。
The United States is currently active in negotiations on two trade major agreements. One is the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement. Those talks involve the United States and 11 other nations around the Pacific Ocean. The other agreement, with the European Union, is called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Trade promotion authority is considered important to passage for both trade deals.
美国日前主要在两项贸易协定谈判上表现的十分积极。其中一个就是《跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》。谈判双方主要是美国以及太平洋周边的11个国家。另一项协议就是与欧盟之间的《跨大西洋贸易与投资伙伴关系协定》。美方负责谈判的人员希望能够顺利达成这两项协议。
Gary Hufbauer is a senior fellow at the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C. He is hopeful about the possibility of progress in talks between U.S. and Japanese officials on the Trans Pacific Partnership. He expects Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to agree to concessions in Japan's meat and dairy markets. Mr. Abe is making a state visit to Washington next week.
Gary Hufbauer是华盛顿彼得G.彼得森研究所高级合伙人，主要负责世界经济发展。他对美日能在《跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》取得有效进展充满希望。他希望日本首相安倍晋三能够在对日出口肉类和奶制品类上能够做出让步。安倍将在下周对美国进行国事访问，并进行贸易协商。
The discussions are about opening Japan's agricultural and automobile markets, as well as the U.S. auto parts market. So says Masamichi Adachi, a senior economist with JPMorgan Chase in Tokyo. He remains concerned about the debate over trade promotion authority in the U.S. Congress.
协商的内容主要包括开放日本的农业和汽车市场，以及美国汽车配件市场。Masamichi Adachi是摩根大通东京分公司的一位资深经济学家，他表示，他对即将在美国国会展开的关于贸易促进法案辩论表示持续关注。
"If the Congress gives President Obama this authority, then the negotiations would be much easier and that's a key event that we see in progress on this negotiation."
“如果国会能够给奥巴马总统这项权力，那么接下来的谈判将会容易许多，这也是这场谈判中非常关键的一步。”
President Barack Obama says the United States has to shape the rules so that American businesses and workers can compete in Asian markets. If the U.S. does not act, he says, China will.
美国总统奥巴马表示：美国必须要对一些事情进行规范，这样美国的商人和工人才能够在亚洲市场获得一席之地。如果美国再不行动，中国就会行动。
Mr. Hufbauer says the Asian free-trade agreement will lead to greater U.S. involvement in setting rules on issues such as state-owned companies, investments and taxes. He calls the Trans-Pacific Partnership a "gateway" agreement for other countries to join. He expects China to align itself with the agreement in five to seven years.
Hufbauer表示：亚洲自由贸易协定将会给美国带来更多需要建立制度来规范的问题，比如国有企业、投资和税收。他把《太平洋贸易合作伙伴关系协定》称作是“入门”协议，希望有其他国家加入。同时，他也期待在未来的5到7年时间里，中国也会加入该协议。
U.S. officials are also negotiating another version of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Those talks opened Monday in New York City. That agreement covers trade with the E.U.
美国方面同时也在进行其他的贸易投资伙伴关系的谈判。这些谈判都在本周一纽约市举行。包括和欧盟方面的贸易谈判。
The aim of the agreement is to remove tariffs, simplify trade processes and remove restrictions on trade in areas that affect 800 million people. Supporters say the agreement could create 13 million jobs on either side of the Atlantic.
与欧盟谈判的主要目标是减少关税，简化贸易程序和放松对某些领域的贸易限制，此项协议将对大约800百万人造成影响。有支持者表示：这项协议将会给大西洋两岸带来1300万工作。
President Barack Obama has called for progress this year in talks with the 28-nation E.U. Yet there is strong opposition in Congress to the measure, and many opponents are in Mr. Obama's own party.
美国总统奥巴马已经呼吁：希望在本年度与欧盟28国展开进一步对话。但是目前，国会内部仍然对该法案持有很大反对意见，其中不少反对意见来自奥巴马所属党派。
There also is opposition to trade talks in Europe. Last Saturday, thousands of people demonstrated in Germany and other countries to protest the trade talks.
同时，欧盟内部也对在这项贸易谈判存在反对意见。上周六，数千人在德国和其他一些国家举行了反对贸易谈判的游行。
And that's the Economics Report from VOA Learning English. I'm Mario Ritter.
以上就是来自VOA学习英语频道的经济新闻，我是Mario Ritter
本栏目视频字幕与文本并不完全对应，且视频播放缓冲时间较长，敬请谅解！
