Capitol Hill Staffers Go Job Hunting
时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：VOA2004（下）--新闻盘点
By Andrew J. Baroch
More than 1,000 employees of the United States Congress are out of work because their employers -- members of Congress -- either lost their bids for re-election last month or retired 1.
On election night in November, Mr. Crane and his 20 employees gathered at a suburban 2 Chicago restaurant to watch the election returns on TV. After 35 years in the House of Representatives, the lawmaker and his staffers thought for sure he'd be re-elected to serve another two-year term.
His Press secretary Tami Stough recalls that night with a sad shake of her head. "As the votes were coming in that night and the numbers were being revealed, we were stunned 3," she says. "We sat in stunned disbelief as precinct after precinct reported and we realized we were not going to be victorious 4."
Every one of her colleagues was crying. "We could not control the tears," Ms. Stough says. "All I really wanted to do was be in the ladies' room, crying."
Most Congressional staffers realize that working on Capitol Hill does not offer long-term job security. With elections every two years for each seat in the House of Representatives, and Senators up for re-election every six, the legislative 5 assistants, press secretaries, receptionists and researchers have to remain flexible. But Tami Stough says she feels as if she is losing more than a job. She'll miss being in the U.S. Capitol -- the stately, domed 7 building that sits on a hill -- where lawmakers debate policy, draft laws, and make history.
"When you walk the hallways of Capitol Hill, when you walk in the Capitol, and see the dome 6 and Statuary Hall," Ms. Stough says, "you get a sense of, 'I am in the seat of the most powerful nation in the world. This is where history is made, in these hallowed halls.' It's not an office building. It's not a corporate 8 center. This is a real place of history, purpose, and meaning. It's not easy to walk away from that, knowing you are sitting, working and living so close to the heart of the power of this great nation."
Many of the staffers who lost jobs as a result of the recent election are looking for work in other congressional offices because they enjoy being part of the history. But Tami Stough has decided 9 to look elsewhere - saying that a job on the Hill is too much of an "emotional roller coaster."
She has yet to determine what else she might do. "I told my husband the other day," says Ms. Stough, "'Let's buy that property over there and build an inn.' He looked at me and said, 'Why would we do that?' I thought of maybe going back to school. Everything is on the table for us right now."
Most Capitol Hill staffers hope the uncertainty 10 of their job search will end soon.
注释：
suburban 偏远的
precinct 区域，范围
flexible 灵活的，可通融的
hallway 走廊
dome 圆屋顶
- The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
- Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
- Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
- There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。
- We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
- The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。
- Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
- Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
- The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
- They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。
- This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
- His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
- After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。