Capitol Hill Staffers Go Job Hunting

 

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 retired¹.

On election night in November, Mr. Crane and his 20 employees gathered at a suburban² 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 stunned³," she says. "We sat in stunned disbelief as precinct after precinct reported and we realized we were not going to be victorious⁴."

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 legislative⁵ 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, domed⁷ 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 dome⁶ 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 corporate⁸ 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 decided⁹ 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 uncertainty¹⁰ 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

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• 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。

2 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• 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。

3 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

4 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• 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。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• 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。

6 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• 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。

7 domed   

adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• I gazed up at the domed ceiling arching overhead. 我抬头凝望着上方弧形的穹顶。
• His forehead domed out in a curve. 他的前额呈弯曲的半球形。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• 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。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• 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。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• 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。