Putin sees no obstacles to signing "anti-Magnitsky" bill

 MOSCOW, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he saw no reason not to sign into law a bill banning adoption¹ of Russian children by U.S. foster families.

The controversial bill, nicknamed the Dima Yakovlev Act, has been passed by both houses of parliament and arrived at the Kremlin Thursday for the president's consideration. Yakovlev was a Russian-born boy who died in the United States due to his foster parents' negligence².

The bill is widely seen as retaliation³ for the U.S. "Magnitsky Act," which imposes visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials thought responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who died in 2009 in a Moscow jail after accusing officials of tax fraud.

In his address to the State Council meeting, Putin said there were many places in the world with living standards exceeding those in Russia but this was not an excuse to send Russian children there.

"In the world, perhaps, there are many places where the living standards are better than ours. And so what? Will we send all children there? Will we ourselves move there?" Putin said.

Along with the anti-Magnitsky Act, Putin said he would sign a decree for state support of orphans⁴ in Russia.

"This is our national task," Putin said, adding the government would have to work hard on that task.

1 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

2 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

3 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。