VOA标准英语2010年-US Lawmakers Considering Bill to Ease

Andres Idarraga is a Yale University law student, a rights activist¹ and a convicted felon². He recently testified before Congressional subcommittee on changing current voting restrictions³ for former felons⁴.

In the United States, most people convicted of serious crimes cannot vote while in prison, and many are denied the right to vote even after they are released.  Lawmakers in Washington are considering a bill that would ease voting restrictions on former felons.  The debate centers on the question of whether criminals deserve a second chance.

Marcus Martin spent more than 11 years in prison after being convicted of assault.  He was released in December, and now works at his father's insurance and bail⁵ bonds company.  He wants his right to vote back.

"Whatever rights that a normal citizen should have, I believe I should have it as well, since I've served my time and I'm back in society as a paying taxpayer⁶, a community activist, or a person," said Martin.

Based on Maryland state law, Martin cannot vote until his parole is up in 2020.  He says that's not fair.

"Whether it's gay marriage, whether it's making changes in the community or making changes on a broad scale - if I'm a citizen of the United States, it affects me as well," he added.

Civil rights groups say more than five million people are denied the right to vote in the United States because of past felony convictions.

Laws vary by state, so U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that would allow all former prisoners to vote in federal elections after they have completed their sentences.

Andres Idarraga is a Yale University law student, a rights activist and a convicted felon.  He testified recently before Congressional subcommittee.

"Exclusion⁷ is at the end of a complicated chain that often begins with poverty and the lack of education, involves the criminal justice system, the penal⁸ institution and often ends in isolation⁹, bitterness and disfranchisement," Idarraga noted¹⁰.  "I have personally traveled this complicated chain from beginning to end."

Idarraga spent more than six years in prison on a drug conviction. He says he gained a new perspective on citizenship¹¹ in the prison library.

"Voting is particularly important because when we exclude people from voting - we're excluding them from the fundamental act of what it means to be a citizen," Idarraga added.

But opponents of the bill argue that not all criminals deserve a second chance.  Roger Clegg leads a conservative policy group called the Center for Equal Opportunity.

"The right to vote should be restored carefully on a case by case basis after the person has shown that he or she has taken a new direction in his or her life," said Clegg.  "Somebody like Andres [Idarraga], I think, can show that.  But a lot of people can't."

Marcus Martin admits he made mistakes, but he says his time in prison actually made him a better citizen.

"One thing I've learned over life is that you don't really know what pain is or joy is until you experience the other," he said.  "I honestly believe that you don't really understand what freedom is until you've had that freedom taken away."
 

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 felon   

n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的

参考例句：

• He's a convicted felon.他是个已定罪的重犯。
• Hitler's early "successes" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon.希特勒的早期“胜利 ”，只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网

5 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

6 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

7 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

8 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。