美国邮政即将面临其历史上首次违约_BEC初级作文

美国邮政即将面临其历史上首次违约

The agency says it will default on its 2017 retiree health payment as well-also roughly $5.5 billion, due Sept. 30-if there is no legislative action by then.

美国邮政说，它还有一份9月30日到期的2017年退休人员医疗福利账单要支付，金额也差不多是55亿美元，如果届时国会不采取立法行动，公司将付不起这个账单。

Most everyone agrees the Postal Service needs an overhaul. It had a loss of $3.2 billion in the second quarter of this fiscal year; it is to report third-quarter results on Aug. 9. The agency blames factors including declining mail volumes and the unusual 2006 mandate by Congress that it annually set aside billions for future retirees. But while the Senate has passed legislation to overhaul the agency, the House says it doesn't expect to take up its own proposal until after August.

几乎所有人都认为，美国邮政应进行大规模改革。本财年第二财季，该公司亏损32亿美元。8月9日，这家公司将发布第三财季业绩报告。美国邮政认为，亏损的原因在于邮件数量下滑和美国国会2006年颁布的那项不寻常的法令。该法令规定，美国邮政每年应为未来退休人员预留出数十亿美元的医疗费用。虽然美国参议院已经通过了改革美国邮政的法案，但众议院说，预计在8月份之后它才会拿出自己的提案。

The two sides remain far apart. Senators voted in April, on a bipartisan basis, for legislation that largely shores up the agency's finances by returning an estimated $10.9 billion overpayment made into the federal employee pension system. The legislation limits the agency's ability to close postal branches and stop Saturday delivery.