VOA标准英语2009年-American Indians Outline Priorities for Obama A

President Barack Obama has yet to fill a number of key posts in his administration. For Native Americans, one of the most anticipated positions will be a senior policy advisor¹ to the president on Native American issues. American Indians say having someone close to the president will ensure that their issues will not be swept under the rug.
　
First Lady Michelle Obama receives a handmade shawl during an event at the Interior Department in Washington, 09 Feb 2009

First lady Michelle Obama was greeted by traditional drumming at her visit to the Department of the Interior Monday, which houses the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This bureau is in charge of administering land held in trust for sovereign tribes across the United States. Historically, the relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes has been rocky, but Mrs. Obama reiterated² her husband's campaign pledge to build a stronger relationship with tribal³ leaders.

"And for those of you focused on meeting the federal government's obligations to the Native Americans, understand you have a wonderful partner in the White House right now," she said.

The enthusiasm for Mrs. Obama and her husband is evidenced by the numbers. Ninety-five percent of Native Americans who voted last November supported President Obama. All across Indian country, many hope his administration will finally address problems that have plagued their communities for decades, including inadequate⁴ healthcare, neglected schools, crime and substance abuse.
　
In this May 19, 2008 file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama is escorted to the stage by tribal members at a rally in Crow Agency, Montana

President Obama acknowledged these stark⁵ realities on a campaign stop at a Crow reservation in Montana last May, but pledged to do things differently.

"Few have been ignored by Washington for as as long as Native Americans, the first Americans," said then Senator Obama

President of the National Congress of American Indians, Joe Garcia, said he took Mr. Obama at his word. Garcia gave his final "State of the Indian Nations" address Tuesday, imploring⁶ the new Congress and administration to include Native Americans in the economic recovery.

"While the United States faces an economy in recession, great swaths of Indian country have been in economic depression for decades," he said. "Many of our communities comprise the poorest counties in the country."

Garcia also called on Congress to reauthorize the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act, which expired in 1997. Garcia says the infant mortality rate for Native Americans is 40 percent higher than among other Americans, Native youths are twice as likely to commit suicide, and their life expectancy⁷ is five years less than that of other Americans.

"For 10 years the federal government has failed not only do the right thing, they failed to uphold their obligation," he said. "The result is that Native people are suffering."

The tension between Native Americans and the government is part of the reason American Indians started getting involved in state politics. Washington State Representative John McCoy is chairman of the National Caucus⁸ of Native American State Legislators. He says the idea behind electing American Indians within state governments is that it was usually easier for tribes to deal with the state than the federal government. If their legislative⁹ priorities are passed through the state, there's the hope it will be adopted federally as well.

Even so, McCoy, a member of the Tulalip tribes, says he and his constituents¹⁰ are optimistic about the new administration.

"I'm hopeful because under the Clinton administration we made some headway," he said. "We were getting some of our issues addressed, not all of them. But you know we were doing the best we could. And then when Bush Two came along, all that stopped. We lost all momentum¹¹; in essence we took a couple steps back."

McCoy says he has already seen some encouraging signs, including the appointment of a Native American to the White House Governmental Affairs office. He says what will make the difference is if American Indians are put in senior positions where they can affect policy for the betterment of all Native people.

1 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

2 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

5 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

6 imploring   

恳求的，哀求的

参考例句：

• Those calm, strange eyes could see her imploring face. 那平静的，没有表情的眼睛还能看得到她的乞怜求情的面容。
• She gave him an imploring look. 她以哀求的眼神看着他。

7 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

8 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

9 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。

10 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。