VOA常速英语2007年-US Senator Lott to Resign by Year's End

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
26 November 2007

The U.S. Senate's number two Republican, Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, has announced he will retire next month. He becomes the sixth Republican to announce plans to leave the Senate, where Democrats¹ hope to expand their slim majority in next year's congressional election. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

After serving 19 years in the Senate and 16 years in the House of Representatives before that, Senator Trent Lott says it is time to do something else.

"I am announcing today that I will be retiring from the Senate by the end of the year," he said.

Speaking to reporters in Pascagoula, Mississippi Monday, Lott said he and his wife, Trish, are still deciding what to do once he leaves the Senate.

"We do not have anything definitely lined up at this time," he said. "So I just wanted to make that clear. But I do think it is time for Mississippi to elect a new person, a younger person."

Mississippi's Republican Governor, Haley Barbour, is to appoint a replacement² to serve until the November 2008 congressional election, when a successor would be elected to complete Lott's term through January 2013.

Lott served as Senate majority leader from 1996 until 2002. He resigned under fire over remarks he made praising South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist³ campaign for president during a celebration marking the late senator's 100th birthday.

Among those who criticized Lott's remarks was President Bush.

Lott called Mr. Bush Sunday to inform him of his decision to retire.

"He was very kind in his remarks,'" he said. "Over the years we have had our ups and downs, good times and bad times for both of us."

At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino read a statement from President Bush praising Lott's service:

"With service in the Republican leadership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, he has skillfully advanced legislation and effectively championed key principles of our party, including low taxes and a strong national defense," she said.

After Democrats took control of Congress in the 2006 election, Lott was put in charge of lining⁴ up and counting Republican votes as the number two Republican behind minority leader Mitch McConnell.

Lott expressed some frustration⁵ with the pace of progress on legislation under the Democrats' leadership, and said it was better to be in the majority.

Lott said he had considered retiring in 2006, but decided⁶ to run for reelection to help Mississippi recover from the massive devastation⁷ caused by Hurricane Katrina. The storm had destroyed his home in Pascagoula. Lott had been critical of the federal government's response to the storm's aftermath.

Lott said he is retiring without any malice⁸ or anger, and has nothing but happiness and pride for the work he has done in the Senate and House.

Lott is the sixth incumbent⁹ Republican senator to announce plans to leave ahead of the 2008 election. No Senate Democrats have done so. Democrats hope to expand their narrow 51 to 49 majority in next year's contest.

1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

3 segregationist   

隔离主义者

参考例句：

• Recent federal action undermined the segregationist position. 近期的联邦行动消弱了隔离主义者的地位。

4 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 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。

7 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 malice   

n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋

参考例句：

• I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
• There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。

9 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。