奥巴马宣布500亿美元基础设施建设计划

President Barack Obama has called for a new comprehensive infrastructure¹ plan as part of efforts to jump-start the spluttering US economy.

美国总统奥巴马提倡发起一项全新的综合基础设施建设计划，以此作为振兴美国经济的一部分。

The plan will invest about $50bn (£32.5bn) in roads, railways and airports as well as high-speed rail and the creation of an infrastructure bank.

US infrastructure has long been considered underfunded（资金不足的） and receives poor grades from government agencies.

The move comes amid signs that the US economy is faltering²（蹒跚的，犹豫的） .

On Friday, the US Labor³ Department announced that the US economy had lost a further 54,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate rose to 9.6%, from 9.5% in July.

"Over the next six years, we are going to rebuild 150,000 miles of our roads - enough to circle the world six times," Mr Obama told an event in Milwaukee marking the Labor Day holiday in the US.

"We're going to lay and maintain 4,000 miles of our railways - enough to stretch coast-to-coast. We're going to restore 150 miles of runways and advance a next generation air-traffic control system to reduce travel time and delays for American travellers - something I think folks across the political spectrum⁴ could agree on."

"All of this will not only create jobs now, but will make our economy run better over the long haul," Mr Obama add.

Mr Obama also called for the creation of a permanent infrastructure bank that would focus on funding national and regional infrastructure projects.

The proposals would require congressional approval, which analysts⁵ say, is uncertain amid concerns about the size of the federal deficit⁶（赤字） .

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said the plan "should be met with justifiable⁷ scepticism（怀疑论） " because it would raise taxes.

The infrastructure announcement marks the start of a week in which Mr Obama will focus on the economy, seen as the most important issue for voters in Novembers congressional elections.