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Christensen elected to powerful House committee
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Posted on Dec 11 2008
The chairwoman of the congressional panel mainly responsible for insular affairs has secured a seat on the powerful U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate Donna M. Christensen is the first non-voting delegate to be named to the House panel, which has oversight over many issues including health, commerce, trade and consumer protection, energy and air quality, environment and hazardous materials, telecommunications, and the Internet.
“I am both humbled and excited by this opportunity to serve the people of the Virgin Islands, the insular territories and the wider country on issues that will be of utmost importance to all of us,” Christensen said in a statement.
Delegate-elect Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan offered his congratulations to Christensen. He said he is glad that the insular areas will be represented in the important committee.
“I hope we can work with Congresswoman Christensen to bring about necessary changes to improve life in the insular areas, including the Commonwealth. I look forward to working with the chairwoman to address issues facing the Northern Marianas, to include Medicaid and our local tourism industry,” said Sablan.
Christensen currently serves as chairwoman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs. She was elected to the Energy and Commerce Committee post by the House Steering and Policy Committee on Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C.
“Being at the table and being able to vote on issues like lifting the Medicaid cap, extending SCHIP (the children’s health insurance program), and also on issues concerning the environment, energy, information technology, and consumer protections is an extraordinary opportunity for the Virgin Islands,” said Christensen, who will begin her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives in January.
She added, “It has always been a goal of mine to serve on Energy and Commerce from my very first run for Delegate to Congress. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues as well as many in the health care industry who believed that I would bring a much needed perspective to this position.”
