Two months into her third term in Congress, V.I. Delegate Donna Christian Christensen has been named the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
On Wednesday, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), the ranking Democrat on the House Resources Committee named Christensen to the top Democratic spot on Resources’s parks subcommittee, which covers matters related to the National Park System and individual parks, among other isssues.
"The appointment of Donna Christensen as the senior Democratic member on the subcommittee . . . gives the people of the Virgin Islands a national voice on the type of environment they want this country to have," said Rahall. "I am extremely proud to have her serve in this capacity and look forward to her counsel on all matters before the committee."
The Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands is described as one of the busiest in the House, mainly because it manages all issues that pertain to the more than 500 million acres of federal lands.
"It is a great opportunity," said Christensen, "since the territories, and particularly the Virgin Islands, have many park-related issues that come before it."
As the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, Christensen will manage the Democratic side on the floor when park issues come before the House. Since House rules do not permit members – except in rare exceptions – to serve as chair or ranking member on more than one committee or subcommittee, Christensen will relinquish her ranking position on the Small Business Committee's Rural Enterprises, Business Opportunities and Special Small Business Problems. She will remain a member of the Small Business Committee.
