Weekly Address: Pass the USA Freedom Act

Weekly Address: Pass the USA Freedom Act 每周电视讲话：通过《美国自由法案》

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President addressed critical pieces of national security business that remained unfinished when the Senate left town. This Sunday at midnight, key tools used to protect against terrorist threats are set to expire. The USA Freedom Act strikes a balance between security and privacy, reauthorizing important measures that give our national security professionals the authorities they use to keep us safe, while also implementing reforms that enhance the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens. But currently, a small group of senators is standing in its way. The President asked Americans to speak with one voice to the Senate to put politics aside, put the safety of the American people first, and pass the USA Freedom Act now. 华盛顿：在本周的讲话中，总统强调关系国家安全的部分关键任务在参议院休假前还没有完成。到周六午夜，用以保护美国免受恐怖威胁的重要措施将会到期失效。《美国自由法案》在国家安全和保护个人隐私之间寻求到一种平衡，将一些重要措施重新授权给我国的国家安全专业机构，让他们用以保护我们的安全，同时也进行改革，加强公民隐私保护，保护公民自由权利。但是当下，参议院一少部分人却横挡阻扰。总统请求美国民众与他一起向参议院呼吁，将政治因素放置一边，优先考虑关系美国人民安全的事情，尽快通过《美国自由法案》。

Hi, everybody. As President and Commander in Chief, my greatest responsibility is the safety of the American people. And in our fight against terrorists, we need to use every effective tool at our disposal -- both to defend our security and to protect the freedoms and civil liberties enshrined in our Constitution. 大家好！作为总统和最高统帅，我最重要的责任就是保护美国人民的安全。在我们跟恐怖分子斗争的过程中，我们需要利用我们可以利用的每一种有效工具，在保护我们安全的同时保护宪法赋予人们的自由权利。

But tomorrow -- Sunday, at midnight -- some important tools we use against terrorists will expire. That’s because Congress has not renewed them, and because legislation that would -- the USA Freedom Act -- is stuck in the Senate. I want to be very clear about what this means. 但今天，星期日的午夜，部分用以打击恐怖分子的重要手段将面临失效。愿意就是国会没有重新授权，因为《美国自由法案》的立法程序在参议院受阻。我接下来向大家明确一下由此带来的后果。

Today, when investigating terrorist networks, our national security professionals can seek a court order to obtain certain business records. Our law enforcement professionals can seek a roving wiretap to keep up with terrorists when they switch cell phones. We can seek a wiretap on so-called lone wolves -- suspected terrorists who may not be directly tied to a terrorist group. These tools are not controversial. Since 9/11, they have been renewed numerous times. FBI Director James Comey says they are “essential” and that losing them would “severely” impact terrorism investigations. But if Congress doesn’t act by tomorrow at midnight, these tools go away as well. 当今，但我们调查恐怖组织的时候，我们的国家安全机关的人可以到法院申请许可获得特定业务的相关记录。我们的执法人员可以通过巡回监听在恐怖分子使用手机通信是掌握他们的行踪。我们可以利用称之为“孤狼”的监听方式，对不是与恐怖组织直接相关的恐怖嫌疑分子进行监听。这些措施的使用并无争议。自911以来，对这些措施的更新授权已经进行过多次。FBI局长詹姆斯·柯米称这些措施必不可少，失去它们将严重影响对恐怖活动的调查。但是如果国会在明天午夜前没有行动，这些措施就会失效。

The USA Freedom Act also accomplishes something I called for a year and a half ago: it ends the bulk metadata program -- the bulk collection of phone records -- as it currently exists and puts in place new reforms. The government will no longer hold these records; telephone providers will. The Act also includes other changes to our surveillance laws -- including more transparency -- to help build confidence among the American people that your privacy and civil liberties are being protected. But if Congress doesn’t act by midnight tomorrow, these reforms will be in jeopardy, too. 《美国自由法案》同时也完成了我一年半以前呼吁的任务：终止大规模元数据收集计划，包括对手机通信记录的收集，针对目前存在的状况进行改革。政府将不再掌握这些记录，而由通信服务提供商掌握。该法案还包括很多其它对监控法的改革，包括增加透明度，帮助美国民众重新树立信心，人们的个人隐私和自由权利能得到充分保护。但如果国会在明天午夜之前没有行动，这些改革也将陷入僵局。

It doesn’t have to be this way. The USA Freedom Act reflects ideas from privacy advocates, our private sector partners and our national security experts. It already passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support -- Republicans and Democrats. A majority of the Senate -- Republicans and Democrats -- have voted to move it forward. 事情本不应该发展至此。《美国自由法案》充分考虑了隐私保护人士、私营部门合作伙伴以及国家安全专家们的意见。而且已经获得众议院两党大多数人的认可并通过。参议院里，共和党和民主党的大多数议员也投票支持进一步推动该立法。

So what’s the problem? A small group of senators is standing in the way. And, unfortunately, some folks are trying to use this debate to score political points. But this shouldn’t and can't be about politics. This is a matter of national security. Terrorists like al Qaeda and ISIL aren’t suddenly going to stop plotting against us at midnight tomorrow. And we shouldn’t surrender the tools that help keep us safe. It would be irresponsible. It would be reckless. And we shouldn’t allow it to happen. 那么问题出在哪里呢？一少部分参议员阻挡在我们前进的道路上。遗憾的是，一些人试图利用这场辩论来获得政治上的加分。但这部法律不应该也不能与政治扯上关系。这是关系国家安全的大事。像基地组织和伊斯兰国这样的恐怖组织是不会在明晚午夜就停止对我们的暗算的。我们也不能放弃可以帮助保护我们的安全这些措施。这么做是不负责任、毫无担待的行为。我们不能允许这种事情发生。

So today, I’m calling on Americans to join me in speaking with one voice to the Senate. Put the politics aside. Put our national security first. Pass the USA Freedom Act -- now. And let’s protect the security and civil liberties of every American. Thanks very much. 因此，今天，我请求所有美国人民与我一起向参议院呼吁。将政治因素放置一边。优先考虑国家安全事宜。立即通过《美国自由法案》。让我们保护每个美国公民的安全和自由。谢谢大家！