国会山报：美国民主党今秋将向中国发难

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　　中期选举将至，民主党议员近来频频出招，为美国千千万万的制造商争取政策支持。与此同时，他们也在酝酿于今年秋季提出新法案，向中国施压。
　　首当其冲的便是针对人民币的立法。两党议员都认为，中国人为压低汇率以维持其出口产品的低廉价格，这损害了美国制造商及产业工人的利益。
　　尽管国会民主党议员对财政部未将中国列为“货币操纵国”十分不满，但截至目前，国会仍未对可能制裁中国出口产品的法案进行表决。
　　原因之一是迫于政府压力。白宫办公厅主任拉姆·伊曼纽尔（Rahm Emanuel）已要求对中国汇率政策批评声音最高的纽约州民主党参议员查尔斯·舒默推迟提交其反华提案。
　　政府担心，若成功通过针对人民币的立法，将严重挫伤中美关系。
　　本周三，俄亥俄州民主党参议员谢罗德·布朗（Sherrod Brown）携手舒默和其他九名来自两党的参议员，联名上书奥巴马，敦促政府采取更多行动打击中国的不公平贸易行为。
　　“政府没能促使中国停止操纵汇率及其他掠夺性行为，我们对此表示严重关切。”他们在信中说道。
　　舒默称，迫使中国重估其货币是“我们保卫美国就业的唯一也是最为重要的一步”。
　　一些支持舒默法案的人相信，如果今年秋天重提这一法案，则很可能在参议院通过，部分原因在于该法有利于民主党选情。
　　作为其“美国制造”计划的组成部分，民主党众议员已通过一系列旨在振兴国内制造业的法案，并计划在8月夏季休会期后推出新的促进法案。奥巴马总统上周在访问底律特时对此举大为赞赏。
　　货币是这场争论的焦点。民调显示，美国选民十分关注来自中国的竞争将对美国就业市场造成何种影响。根据每月发布的失业报告，本周五失业率将继续攀升。
　　美国制造业联盟（the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM)）近期发布的调查表明，在就业问题上，美国人对中国颇感不安。87%的美国人表示支持 “国家制造业战略”，希望借此防止本土的工作机会流失海外。
　　“民众都知道问题所在；选民希望参众两院的议员们对中国采取行动，”美国制造业联盟发言人史蒂夫·卡普佐拉（Steve Capozzola）说。
　　“我认为，很明显，两党在任议员都需要在他们回老家之前借中国问题拉一拉选票，”美国制造商行动联盟（the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition ）发言人劳尔德o伍德(Lloyed Wood)说。
　　众议院也开始着手对付中国。
　　加州民主党众议员布拉德·谢尔曼（Brad Sherman）本周三提交法案，要求在奥巴马确保美中两国拥有“更公平的竞争环境”之前，取消对中国的最惠国待遇。
　　“美中贸易关系严重不平衡，” 谢尔曼在一份声明中指出。
　　众议院拨款委员会（the House Ways and Means Committee）主席、密歇根州民主党众议员桑德·莱文（Sandy Levin）宣布将在9月举行听证会，评估中国货币政策并决定是否有必要采取相应立法措施。
　　伍德说，九月的这次听证会将“预告” 今后可能对人民币采取的行动。
　　“现在，我们绝对比以往任何时候都更可能在国会举行投票，”他说。
　　“如果不对人民币问题进行表决，便表明国会未对解决就业问题采取应有的严肃态度，”伍德补充道。
　　行政、立法机构历来在如何对待中国的问题上相持不下，这一紧张关系也始终贯穿于白宫和议会各自的权力更迭之中。
　　舒默和共和党南卡罗来纳参议员林德赛·格雷厄姆（Lindsey Graham)曾于2005年联名递交针对中国货币政策的法案，在参议院赢得了67票，但众议院没有将此法案列入立法议事日程。两人在国会决定给中国更多时间处理汇率问题后，便不再推进这一提案。
　　有人认为美国政府在与中国的谈判中需要借助立法机构的一臂之力，另一些人则认为国会的艰难博弈都不过是做做样子。
　　“没有杆杠制衡的外交根本起不了作用--这正是国会为何在外交问题上义不容辞的原因，”伍德说。
　　纽约大学法学院亚美法研究所共同主任孔杰荣教授（Jerome A. Cohen) 称，政府无法在货币问题上对中国过度施压。
　　“奥巴马现在的情况是，他不希望无谓冒犯中国，只想利用舒默参议员和其他人的激烈抗议和威胁，以较为和平、友好的方式迫使中国就范，”孔杰荣说。
　　共和党德克萨斯州参议员约翰·科宁（John Cornyn）表示，每个政府都不愿国会插手外交和对外政策问题，但政府决不该将国会完全排斥在外。
　　“国会同样也要扮演重要角色，因此我希望他们别只会喊'滚出我们的地盘'，而能做出些实事来，”科宁说。

英文原文：

　　Dems ready to push China this fall
　　By Andrew Stiles - 08/06/10 06:00 AM ET
　　Democrats are planning a legislative push on China this fall as they work to promote their support for U.S. manufacturers ahead of the midterm elections.
　　Legislation targeting China's currency is at the forefront of the effort. Lawmakers in both parties argue China keeps its currency artificially low to keep the price of its exports down, which hurts U.S. manufacturers and workers.
　　Congressional Democrats are frustrated the Treasury Department has not labeled China a currency manipulator, but so far have not voted on legislation that would punish China's exports.
　　One reason is pressure from the administration. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has asked Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), the most outspoken critic of China's currency policy, to hold off on his legislation.
　　The administration worries a successful vote on China currency legislation would be a setback to U.S.-China relations.
　　Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Wednesday joined Schumer and nine other senators from both parties in sending a letter to President Obama urging the administration to do more to combat China's unfair trade practices.
　　 "We are gravely concerned by the administration's failure to address China's currency practices and other predatory actions," the letter stated.
　　Schumer has said that forcing China to revalue its currency is "the single biggest step we could take to protect American jobs."
　　Some supporters of Schumer's bill believe it will be taken up when the Senate returns this fall, partly because the move could be good politics for Democrats.
　　As part of their "Make It in American" initiative, House Democrats have passed a number of bills designed to promote domestic manufacturing and plan another push when they return from recess. President Obama touted the approach in a visit to Detroit last week.
　　Currency plays right into that argument, and polls show U.S. voters are concerned about how competition from China is affecting U.S. jobs. Unemployment is expected to rise on Friday with the monthly jobless report.
　　A recent poll by the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) found that Americans are worried about China when it comes to jobs, with 87 percent of Americans favoring a "national manufacturing strategy" to keep U.S. jobs from being shipped overseas.

　　 "The people get it; voters want congressmen and senators to do something on China," said Steve Capozzola, a spokesman for AAM.
　　 "I think it's pretty clear that incumbents in both parties need a China vote before they go home," said Lloyed Wood, spokesman for the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition.
　　The House is also taking steps to address China.
　　Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) on Wednesday introduced legislation that would revoke China's Most Favored Nation trade status until Obama established a "more level playing field between our two nations."
　　 "The U.S.-China trade relationship is horrendously lopsided," Sherman said in a statement.
　　Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced a hearing in September to assess Chinese currency policy and determine whether congressional action is needed.
　　Wood said the September hearing "augurs well" for possible action on China currency.
　　 "We're certainly closer to a vote today than we were at any time in the previous Congress," he said.
　　 "If you can't vote on currency, it shows that Congress is not as serious as it should be in tackling the jobs issue," Wood added.
　　Tensions between the executive and legislative branches over how to deal with China have persisted through changing control of the White House and Congress.
　　Schumer and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced China currency legislation in 2005 that won 67 votes in the Senate but was never taken up in the House. The two did not pursue the bill further after the positive vote to give China time with the issue.
　　Some think legislation is needed to strengthen the administration's hand in negotiations with China, while others view the tough talk in Congress as little more than posturing.
　　 "Diplomacy without leverage is not going to work - that's why it is incumbent on Congress to act," Wood said.
　　Jerome A. Cohen, a New York University Law professor and co-director of the U.S.-Asia Law Institute, said the administration couldn't afford to press China too hard on currency.
　　 "Obama's situation is he doesn't want to needlessly offend China. He'd like to use Sen. Schumer and others' vigorous protests and threats as a way to coerce China peacefully and in friendly fashion," Cohen said.
　　Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said every administration frowns upon Congress inserting itself in areas of diplomatic and foreign policy, but should never ignore Congress completely on these issues.
　　 "Congress has an important role to play too, so I hope they will try to work out something rather than just say, 'Stay out of our sandbox,' " Cornyn said.
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