Before returning to Washington for her second session in the 106th Congress, Delegate Christian-Christensen recapped her legislative successes in 1999 and outlined her priorities for 2000.
     
     Among the issues that highlighted the first session of the 106th Congress were the:
     
     * Temporary lifting of the cap on the return of Virgin Islands rum excise taxes, bringing an additional $30 million to $34 million to our treasury
     *Passage of legislation to expand the wage credit for watches manufactured in the territory to certain fine jewelry
     * Funding to address the territory's Y2K readiness
     * Introduction of legislation to extend federal empowerment
     zone/economic community designation for the territory
     * An increase in funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program in the territory, resulting in $900,000 per year to provide for the health care needs of children whose parents cannot afford health insurance and do
     not qualify for Medicaid
     * Passage of legislation to make it less costly for the local government to issue general obligation bonds in order to meet pressing financial commitments
     
     Also key was the Delegate's national presence as the newly elected Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus' (CBC) Health Braintrust which thrust her at the forefront of the battle against HIV/AIDS in communities of color nationwide.
     
     "I considered it a privilege and honor to have spearheaded the CBC's initiative to obtain an unprecedented $249 million to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in communities of color. Because of this I was able to have
     specific dollars targeted to our community, as we still have a high incidence of the disease in the territory. These funds have enabled the V.I. Department of Health, as well as community groups and organizations here and across the country... to access funding and bring needed and culturally competent programs to the communities that they serve," Christensen said.
     
     The Delegate also presented her legislative agenda for the new session, highlighting several key issues to be addressed. Her year 2000 priorities include:
     
     * Working with Congress and the White House to explore opportunities for assistance in our efforts to jump start the economy
     * Introducing legislation at the beginning of the session to lift the cap on Medicaid in the territory
     * Extending SSI benefits to the territory
     * Addressing the health care needs of underserved residents and populations in the territory
     * Introducing legislation to reauthorize general assistance fund dollars to the V.I. Department of Education
     * Continuing corporate and small business development programs and funding in the territory
     * Continuing to work to extend federal empowerment zone/economic community designation for the territory
     
     "While this outlines a very ambitious agenda, and would give the territory the breathing room necessary to enact its fiscal recovery plans, as well as fulfill some of its obligations, it clearly cannot all be
     realistically achieved in the short term," Christensen said. "All [projects] will require the full cooperation and support locally that has helped us to achieve the goals set and accomplished in our first session," the Delegate concluded.