奥巴马提议征收石油税

The White House is proposing a bold $10 per barrel tax on oil in a move that immediately sparked a backlash from an energy industry buckling¹ under the pressure of low prices.

美国白宫正在提议一项大胆的石油税，对每桶石油征税10美元，此举立刻引发了能源业的强烈反弹。目前，处于低位的油价带来的压力快把能源业压垮了。

The proposal was contained in a budget plan that the Republican-led Congress will ensure is never enacted², but it is likely to force the Democratic candidates for president to sharpen their positions on energy.

该提议包含在一份预算规划中，而共和党主导的美国国会将力求让这份规划永远不会获得通过。不过，该提议很可能会迫使民主党总统竞选人明确他们在能源问题上的立场。

The oil industry said that the tax would raise the cost of petrol by 25 cents per gallon and undo³ the shale⁴ energy revolution.

石油业表示，这项税会令每加仑汽油的成本增加25美分，而且会让页岩能源革命前功尽弃。

The White House said that the tax would encourage a shift away from an oil-dependent transportation⁵ system and provide revenue that it would use to pay for much-needed infrastructure⁶ investment.

白宫表示，该税会鼓励人们减少使用依赖石油的交通运输系统，而税收收入可用来为亟需的基建投资买单。

Jeff Zients, director of the White House’s national economic council, told reporters that it would be paid by oil companies, but not at the wellhead where oil is produced.

白宫国家经济委员会(National Economic Council)主任杰夫倠榟茨(Jeff Zients)向记者们表示，该税将由石油企业支付。

To ensure a “level playing field” for American oil producers in the global market, Mr Zients added that the tax would not be levied⁷ on exported oil products but would apply to imports.

齐恩茨补充说，为确保美国石油生产商在全球市场拥有“公平的竞争环境”，该税将不对出口的石油产品征收，但将适用于进口的石油产品。

Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said: "Once again, the president expects hardworking consumers to pay for his out-of-touch climate agenda. A $10 tax for every barrel of oil produced would raise energy prices — hurting poor Americans the most.”

美国众议院议长保罗帠襴(Paul Ryan)表示：“总统又一次地指望勤奋工作的消费者为他脱离现实的气候议程买单。每产一桶油就收10美元的税，这会推高能源价格，受伤最深的将是美国的穷人。”

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, who are vying⁸ for the Democratic presidential nomination⁹, have sought to outdo each other with their attacks on fossil fuels and calls for action on climate change.

正在争夺民主党总统候选人提名的希拉里克林顿(Hillary Clinton)和伯尼儠德斯(Bernie Sanders)，已试图通过抨击化石燃料和呼吁就气候变化采取行动来力压彼此一头。

Mr Zients declined to comment on whether the White House was seeking to influence Mr Obama’s potential successors, but did say: “No one’s arguing about the challenges facing our transportation system, but no one wants to talk about how to pay for it. [What] the president’s putting forward here is a smart, strategic approach.”

齐恩茨拒绝评论白宫是否是在尝试影响奥巴马的潜在继任者，但他的确表示：“没人在讨论我们交通运输系统面临的挑战，也没人想谈谈如何为此买单。总统这里提议的，是一种明智而有战略意义的做法。”

He added that the White House expected the oil industry to pass on some of the costs to consumers, a point that the oil lobby implicitly¹⁰ confirmed.

他补充说，白宫预计石油业会把部分成本转嫁给消费者，石油业游说组织也含蓄地证实了这点。

Jack¹¹ Gerard, chief executive of the American Petroleum¹² Association, which represents the industry, said: “The White House thinks Americans are not paying enough for gasoline, so they have proposed a new tax that could raise the cost of gasoline by 25 cents a gallon, harm consumers that are enjoying low energy prices, destroy American jobs and reverse America’s emergence¹³ as a global energy leader.”

代表石油业利益的美国石油学会(American Petroleum Institute)的首席执行官杰克瀠拉德(Jack Gerard)表示：“白宫认为美国人为汽油交的钱还不够多，因此他们提议了一项新的税种，可能会令每加仑汽油的成本升高25美分，伤害正享受较低能源价格的消费者，毁掉美国的就业，将美国崛起为全球能源领袖的进程逆转。”