Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen was voted ranking member of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Oceans, Wildlife and Insular Affairs by the unanimous consent of her colleagues Tuesday morning, her office reported.
Christensen had to regain the position after falling in the seniority lineup of the committee when she left to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee in the 111th Congress. She was waivered back on to Natural Resources in the prior Congress because it covers territorial issues, but she lost her seniority in doing so.
“I was fortunate to have the support of my colleagues for the ranking membership, as they were very familiar with my work on the issues that concern all the territories and with our issues as regards to fisheries, oceans and wildlife,” she said.
Christensen will also serve on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.
“This is good for the Virgin Islands as this subcommittee oversees energy production, the environmentally responsible development of energy resources, and the issues of alternative energy and energy independence," she said in Tuesday’s announcement. "With all of our issues with Hovensa, WAPA, the Caribbean grid, and the development of alternate sources, I will be at the right place, at the right time.”
With the Republicans taking the majority in the 112th Congress and Democrats having smaller membership ratios in committees, Christensen is no longer on Energy and Commerce, but has returned to the Homeland Security Committee, where she served for three terms.
She will be a member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, which oversees border issues, port and maritime security, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
She will also be a member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications.
“Our initiatives on Homeland Security were very fruitful in the past as we were able to gain a Coast Guard cutter to patrol V.I. waters as well as unprecedented funding for our ports and other sensitive infrastructure,” she said.
Although she is no longer on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congresswoman Christensen has maintained her seniority there and is next in line to return if a seat becomes available.
“I will still be very active on health issues through the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and as first vice president of the CBC, and as an assistant minority whip. We will be defending the historic gains that were made in health care reform and other issues of importance to the Virgin Islands and the rest of the country,” she said.
