美国国会为卸任总统的预算设限

BBC News – On Friday the US congress voted to place limits on expense accounts allotted to former presidents. These accounts cover travel, staff and office costs. The new bill caps spending at $200,000 and reduces it further if the former president has made over $400,000 in a year.

BBC新闻 – 周五，美国国会投票，为分配给卸任总统的费用账户设限。这些账户包括旅行成本，员工成本和办公成本。新议案设支出上限为20万美元，并且，如果卸任总统一年赚取超过40万美元，将进一步降低支出上限。

The bill's authors said most ex-presidents did not need support from taxpayers since they make millions in book deals and speaking fees. "Upon leaving office, most presidents go on to make millions of dollars and are not in need of taxpayer subsidies," said the authors of the bill, Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, in a joint statement.

议案撰写人说，大多数卸任总统并不需要纳税人的赡养，因为他们从出书交易和演讲费中赚取数百万美元。“离任后，大多数总统继续能赚得数百万美元，不需要纳税人的补贴。”议案撰写人，马里兰州的众议员卡明斯和犹他州的众议员查夫兹发表联合声明说。

In 2014 US taxpayers covered $3.5m in expenses for the four living US presidents. This included $1.3m for George W. Bush and $950,000 for Bill Clinton both of which were mostly for office costs.

2014年，美国纳税人为4位在世的美国总统支付了350万美元费用。这包括为小布什支付的130万美元和为比尔.克林顿支付的95万美元，两者中大部分都是办公费用。

Under the new plan, that allowance would be cut by a dollar for every dollar of outside income above $400,000. The changes do not affect costs for security.

根据新计划，对超过40万美元的俸外收入每一美元都会相应削减一美元的补贴。这些变化不影响安保费用。

The bill also sets pensions for presidents at $200,000 a year and $100,000 for spouses if they outlive the former president.

议案还规定总统的养老金为每年20万美元，如果卸任总统去世，其在世配偶的养老金为每年10万美元。

The bill cleared a voice vote in the House of Representatives and has been sent to President Obama to sign.

该议案在众议院获口头表决通过，已送交奥巴马总统签署。