Weekly Address: Congress Should Join the President to Help Responsible Homeowners
Hi, everybody. In recent weeks, you might have noticed something. Or maybe even heard the sound of it if you live close enough.
New homes are going up. In fact, construction workers are breaking ground on new homes in America at the fastest pace in more than four years.
At the same time, more homes are being sold. Home values are back on the rise. And foreclosure filings are at their lowest point in the five years since the housing bubble burst and left millions of responsible families holding the bag.
Now, we’re not where we need to be yet. Too many homes are still underwater. Too many families are still having a hard time making the mortgage on their piece of the American Dream.
But one of the heaviest drags on our recovery is getting lighter. Now we have to build on the progress we’ve made, and keep moving forward.
I never believed that the best way to deal with the housing market was to just sit back, do nothing, and simply wait for things to hit bottom. That would have been a disaster for all the responsible families who – through no fault of their own – were struggling to make ends meet.
Instead, I’ve made helping those homeowners a priority.
Since I took office, my Administration has taken action to help millions of families stay in their homes.
We teamed up with attorneys general in almost every state to investigate and crack down on the practices that caused this mess. And in the end, we secured a $25 billion settlement from the biggest banks – one of the biggest settlements in history – and used it to provide relief to families all across America.
We’ve taken action to help responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages. As a result, just this year hundreds of thousands of Americans who were stuck in high-interest loans have been able to take advantage of historically low rates and are saving thousands of dollars every year.
And now I want every homeowner in America to have that chance. I just wish it didn’t require an act of Congress. But it does. So, back in February, I sent Congress a plan to give every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage by refinancing at historically low rates. That’s the equivalent of a $3,000 tax cut.
It’s a plan that we know will work. It has the support of independent, nonpartisan economists and leaders across the housing industry. It’s a no-brainer that should have passed easily.
But Republicans in Congress banded together and kept this plan from even coming to a vote.
They banded together and prevented millions of Americans – including many of you listening today – from saving $3,000 a year. That’s money that could have gone back into the value of your home, or your kid’s college savings account. That’s money that could have gone into your local businesses, so they could hire and create more jobs in your town.
But Republicans in Congress still won’t let that happen. And that’s only held back the economy, when we should be doing everything we can to accelerate our economic engine.
Let’s be honest – Republicans in Congress won’t act on this plan before the election. But maybe they’ll come to their senses afterward if you give them a push. So contact your Representative, especially if this plan will help you or someone you know. Tell him or her that American homeowners have waited long enough. Tell them that it’s time for Congress to stop standing in the way of our recovery and to start standing up for you. Thanks and have a great weekend.
每周总统演讲国会应当和总统同心协力为老百姓提供帮助
大家好！ 最近几个星期，或许大家听到些什么，或得到小道消息。
房地产开始回暖。实际上，在四年多时间里，新住宅以最快的步伐拔地而起。
同时，住宅成交量大增，价格回暖。自房地产泡沫破裂以来的5年里，登记丧失贷款抵押案例处于最低点，让数以百万计的家庭保住了房子。
现在，还不是处于最好境况。还有很多房产处于倒挂状态，很多家庭依然为供房而煎熬，
但是，最严酷的时候过去了。 现在必须继续加大发展力度，保持向前发展的动力。
我决不相信盘活房地产市场仅仅坐在那儿，什么不也做，等着它触底。对于那些努力保持收支平衡老百姓来说，那将是一个灾乱—尽管这一切不是老百姓的过错。
实际上，我的首要任务是为老百姓谋福祉。
自从我就职以来，政府采取了必要的措施，帮助数以百万计的家庭保住了房子。
政府差不多同每个州的首席大法官调查和打击那些导致经济危急的恶劣行径。 而且最终使那些最大的银行的250亿美元的资产盘点得到安全保证—有史以最大的银行资产盘点之一—这些资产为全美家庭提供救济。
政府采取了一些必要措施，以帮助老百姓为还房贷提供资金支持。正因如此，仅今年，成千上万的老百姓曾经在高利率的打压下，现在能够享受有史以来的最低利率，每年可节省数千美元。
而且现在，我想让每个家庭有同样的机会。我希望这样的机会不需要国会立法。但事实并非如此。追溯到今年2月份，我提交了一份计划给国会，该计划通过降低利率方式，为还贷家庭提供资金支持，为每个家庭每年节省大约3000美元。 这等同于为每个家庭减税3000 美元。
我们知道，这个计划是可行的。而且该计划得到中间派、无党派人士以及房地产行业的领头羊的支持。想都不用想，这个计划应当很容易获得通过。
可是，国会共和党人拉帮结派极力阻止该计划通过。
他们拉帮结派，阻止数百万老百姓-包括正在收听演讲的各位，每年节省大约3000美元。
这些钱可以帮每个家庭急之所急，或存入小孩的大学教育帐户上。这些钱，也可以流通到当地小生意从业者，为当地创造更多的就业机会。
但是，大老党人还是想法阻止计划实现。当政府竭尽所能加速经济发展时，大老党的所作为只能拖经济发展的后腿，
老实说—在大选之前，大老党人根本不想通过该计划。但是，如果大家敦促大老党人，或许他们会良心发现。因此，如果该计划有益于你或你所认识人，联系你们的国会代表。告诉他/她，老百姓等得太久了。告诉他们，在振兴经济的道路上，是停止充当拌脚石，开始充当老百姓坚强后盾的时候了。
谢谢大家，并祝各位周末愉快.
whitehouse
2012-10-23
whitehouse
565次
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