奧巴馬：美國從不拖欠債務

President Barack Obama tried to reassure the world Tuesday that the United States has always paid its bills, as the country faces a deadline to raise the debt ceiling.

Mr. Obama told journalists Tuesday that remarks from Congress indicating a debt default may not damage the world economic recovery make investors nervous. He called on Congress to hold a clean vote on raising the debt ceiling -- a vote with no other issues attached.

Mr. Obama also appealed to Congress to pass a clean spending bill and reopen the government -- now in its second week of a shutdown.

Republican House Speaker John Boehner said he is disappointed the president is refusing to negotiate on the debt limit or a spending bill. He said this is not the American system of government.

Boehner said the debt limit has always been fair game for bargaining, and he said the United States cannot keep spending money it does not have.美國總統奧巴馬星期二試圖使世界放心，美國雖然面臨着提高債務上限的最後期限，但美國從不拖欠債務。

奧巴馬星期二對記者說，國會傳出的有關債務違約可能不會損害全球經濟的說法使投資者感到緊張。奧巴馬敦促國會就提高債務上限的議案進行表決，議案中不應附帶任何其他問題。

奧巴馬還呼籲衆議院通過一項不附加任何條件的預算案，使政府恢復運轉。美國政府關閉已進入第二個星期。

共和黨籍的衆議院議長貝納說，他對奧巴馬拒絕就債務上限以及開支議案進行談判感到失望。他表示，這不是美國政府體系的行事方式。
貝納說，債務上限一直是一個得到公平談判的問題。他還說，美國不能繼續花自己沒有的錢。