华盛顿讯——本周一开始的新一轮美国最高法院任期，为两位年事已高且立场最为保守的大法官克拉伦斯·托马斯和塞缪尔·阿利托提供了良机，使他们能在枪支权利、公立学校的宗教教育以及投票限制等争议性议题上推动美国法律进一步向保守方向倾斜。
Washington - The new U.S. Supreme Court term that begins on Monday presents opportunities for its two eldest and most conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, to help push U.S. law further rightward on contentious issues such as gun rights, religion in public schools and voting restrictions.
现年78岁的托马斯自1991年起便任职于美国最高法院，是美国历史上任职时间第二长的大法官；现年76岁的阿利托则自2006年起开始履职。
Thomas, 78, has served on the top U.S. judicial body since 1991, making him the second-longest-serving justice in American history. Alito, 76, has served since 2006.
在任职初期，二人在诸多重大裁决中常常持反对意见，但自2020年起，以保守派占多数的6比3格局形成后，最高法院的整体立场已显著转向保守。
Earlier in their tenures, they often found themselves in dissent in major decisions, but the court, with a 6-3 conservative majority since 2020, has shifted dramatically to the right.
如今，托马斯与阿利托的影响力或许正处于巅峰状态，还获得了美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的高度赞誉。
Thomas and Alito now are perhaps at the height of their influence and have been lavished with praise by U.S. President Donald Trump.