This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
This month, the United States Postal Service reported a loss of over five billion dollars from April to June. The Postal Service says it expects to report a loss of fifteen billion dollars for the twelve-month period ending in September. And the government agency has warned of even bigger losses if Congress does not let it change the way it does business.
本月，美国邮政服务公司本月从四至六月录得亏损超过50亿美元。邮政公司表示，预计在截至9月份的12个月内将录得亏损150亿美元。这家政府机构警告称，如果国会不让它改变业务运作方式，亏损会更大。
51VOA注：美国邮政服务公司是一家独立的美国机构，前身是美国邮政部，1971年改为美国邮政服务公司。
The United States Postal Service, or USPS, has a long history in America. Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General, or head of the postal service, in seventeen seventy-five.
美国邮政（简称为USPS）在美国有着悠久的历史。1775年，本杰明·富兰克林（Benjamin Franklin）曾被任命为第一任邮政部长。
But the Postal Service says its income has not kept up with growing costs. Profitable first class mail is decreasing.
但美国邮政称其收入未能跟上日益攀升的成本。可盈利的头等邮件锐减。
The service says most of its recent losses resulted from making payments to its health care program for retirees. About a billion dollars of the loss was for payments to injured workers.
邮政公司称其最近亏损主要来自支付退休人员医保计划。亏损中的约10亿美元支付给了受伤员工。
The news from April to June was not all bad. Improvements in the economy fueled a nine percent increase in income from shipping and delivery. The Postal Service says it is less costly to send letters and packages in the mail than to use private companies.
四月到六月并非全都是坏消息。经济的改善为运输和投递增加了9%的收入。美国邮政称使用邮件寄送信件和包裹比其它私人公司便宜。
The Postal Service says it has cut operating costs by a total of fourteen billion dollars in the past five years. To improve its financial health, the agency has proposed cutting service on Saturdays. It also wants Congress to cancel a requirement that the postal service make advance payments to the health care program for retired workers. USPS also wants the Treasury Department to return eleven billion dollars in overpayments made to its pension plan for retirees.
美国邮政表示，在过去5年中其运营成本总共削减了140亿美元。为了改善其财务状况，该机构已经提议削减周六的邮政服务，还希望国会取消邮政公司为退休员工预付医保计划的要求。美国邮政还希望美国财政部返还离退休人员养老金计划多付的110亿美元。
On August first, USPS failed to make a required payment of five point five billion dollars for health care benefits for future retirees. It was the first time the postal service has ever failed to make such a payment. And, the service is warning that it may have to delay making payments to companies to which it owes money.
8月1日，美国邮政未能如期支付未来退休人员医保福利的55亿美元。这是邮政首次未能如期支付这样一类账单。此外，美国邮政警告称，它可能不得不推迟向那些它欠账的公司付款。
The Postal Service says that without major changes, it will continue to lose billions of dollars a year. The Washington Post newspaper reported that Postmaster General Patrick Donohue told reporters "Congress needs to act responsibly." In his words, "this is no way to run any kind of business."
美国邮政表示，如果没有重大变化，该公司每年仍会亏损数十亿美元。《华盛顿邮报》报道称，美国邮政署长特里克·多诺霍（Patrick Donohue）告诉记者，“国会需要采取负责任的行动。”用他的话来说，“业务没法进行了。”
The Postal Service receives money to pay for operations from the sale of stamps, products and shipping services. It does not receive direct government assistance, but is controlled by the federal government.
美国邮政收到钱用于出售邮票、产品和运输服务的支出。它不接受政府的直接援助，但它由联邦政府控制。
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