Now, I don't expect to convince my Republican friends on the merits of this law. But I know that the American people aren't interested in refighting old battles. So again, if you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more people, and increase choice - tell America what you'd do differently. Let's see if the numbers add up. But let's not have another forty-something votes to repeal a law that's already helping millions of Americans like Amanda. The first 40 were plenty. We got it. We all owe it to the American people to say what we're for, not just what we're against.
如今,我并不期待我的共和党朋友们能信服这部法案的益处。但我知道美国民众对为此再产生分歧也不感兴趣。因此,我又要说,如果你有确定的计划可以削减成本,那就覆盖更多的民众,增加更多的选择,告诉美国人民你做的有什么不同。让我们拭目以待,看看数字是否会增长。但让我们不要再为废除这项已经帮助了数百万美国民众的法案举行更多次投票了,之前的40多次已经足够了。我们已经明了。我们应该为美国民众说出支持什么,而不仅仅是反对什么。
And if you want to know the real impact this law is having, just talk to Gov. Steve Beshear of Kentucky, who's here tonight. Kentucky's not the most liberal part of the country, but he's like a man possessed when it comes to covering his commonwealth's families. "They are our friends and neighbors," he said. "They are people we shop and go to church with.farmers out on the tractors . grocery clerks . they are people who go to work every morning praying they don't get sick. No one deserves to live that way."
如果你想了解这部法案的真实影响,就和肯塔基州州长史蒂夫•贝希尔聊聊吧,他今晚也在现场。肯塔基州在美国算不上最开明,但在推行医改法案上,他做得非常出色。他说:“民众是我们的朋友,我们的邻居,与我们一起搭伴购物和去教堂,有驾驶拖拉机的农场主,也有杂货店的职员。他们每天早晨上班时祈祷自己不要生病。没人应该过那样的生活。”
Steve's right. That's why, tonight, I ask every American who knows someone without health insurance to help them get covered by March 31st. Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your mom and walk her through the application. It will give her some peace of mind - plus, she'll appreciate hearing from you.
史蒂夫是对的。这也是为什么我想在今晚请认识无医保人士的人帮助他们在3月31日前购买医保。母亲们,请给孩子们购买医保,孩子们,也请你们让你的母亲购买医保,这会让她的心情更加平静,而且她将感激你的建议。
After all, that's the spirit that has always moved this nation forward. It's the spirit of citizenship - the recognition that through hard work and responsibility, we can pursue our individual dreams, but still come together as one American family to make sure the next generation can pursue its dreams as well.
正是这种精神鼓励美国前进。正是这种公民精神,通过辛苦工作和承担责任而来的精神,使得我们每个人可以追求自己的梦想。但我们仍要团结为统一的美国大家庭,这样才能确保我们的下一代也可以追求他们的梦想。
Citizenship means standing up for everyone's right to vote. Last year, part of the Voting Rights Act was weakened. But conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are working together to strengthen it; and the bipartisan commission I appointed last year has offered reforms so that no one has to wait more than a half hour to vote. Let's support these efforts. It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.
公民权意味着支持每个人的选举权。在去年,《选举权法》部分遭到弱化。但保守的共和党和自由的民主党正一起努力加强其实施,并且去年我任命的两党委员会提出了改革举措,因此没人需要再为投票等上半个小时了。让我们支持这些努力。我们投票的力量,而非我们的银行账户,使得我们走向民主。
Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day. I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors and police officers all over this country who say "we are not afraid," and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls, or schools like Sandy Hook.
公民权意味着为每天丧身枪击案的生命大声疾呼。我见证了全美各地父母、学生、牧师和警察的努力,他们说“我们不害怕”;我也要一直努力,不管是否通过国会,防止我们的电影院、超市、或者桑迪胡克小学那样的学校发生更多的枪击案悲剧,防止无辜的美国民众命丧枪口。
Citizenship demands a sense of common cause; participation in the hard work of self-government; an obligation to serve to our communities. And I know this chamber agrees that few Americans give more to their country than our diplomats and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
公民权需要大家感到在为共同的事业而付出努力,参与到自治政府的工作中,并且承担服务社区的义务。美国的外交官和军队为美国做出了巨大的贡献。
Tonight, because of the extraordinary troops and civilians who risk and lay down their lives to keep us free, the United States is more secure. When I took office, nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, all our troops are out of Iraq. More than 60,000 of our troops have already come home from Afghanistan. With Afghan forces now in the lead for their own security, our troops have moved to a support role. Together with our allies, we will complete our mission there by the end of this year, and America's longest war will finally be over.
今晚,因为杰出的军人和一些民众冒着危险保护我们,美国才更加安全。在我就职时,有近18万美国人正在伊拉克和阿富汗服役。今天,美军已经完全撤离伊拉克,并已从阿富汗撤军超过6万人。现在阿富汗的安全已由阿富汗军队负责,美军仅提供一些支持。我们将在年底与盟国一起结束在阿富汗的作战任务,美国在国外的长期作战终于要结束了。