Del. Donna Christian-Christensen (D) Elected 1996, 4th term
Born:	Sept. 19, 1945, Teaneck, NJ
Home:	St. Croix
Education:	St. Mary's Col., B.S. 1966, George Washington U., M.D. 1970
Religion:	Moravian
Marital Status:	married (Christian)
Professional Career:	Practicing physician, 1975-97; Territorial Asst., Commissioner of Health, 1988-94; Acting Commissioner of Health, 1994-95.
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The delegate from the Virgin Islands is Donna Christian-Christensen, first elected in 1996, when she beat Victor Frazer, a Republican who ran as an independent and was the upset winner in 1994. Christensen (as her name is given in her press releases) is from an old St. Croix family; her father was Virgin Islands Chief District Court Judge Almeric Christian. She graduated from St. Mary's College and George Washington Medical School; she practiced medicine for more than 20 years in the Virgin Islands, in a family practice and in several public positions. She was elected a Democratic National committeewoman in 1984 and ran one losing race for delegate in 1994. In 1996 she attacked Frazer, who after some hesitation caucused with the Democrats, for foreign travel (11 trips to four continents) and for inaction in opposing the welfare bill. Christensen led Frazer 38%-34% on November 5; in the runoff two weeks later she won 52%-48%. It was a regional race: Christensen won 69% on St. Croix, Frazer 64% on St. Thomas and St. John.

In the House, Christensen has forged alliances with the Congressional Black Caucus and, when it was in office, the Clinton administration to achieve her goals; she works on health issues for the Black Caucus. She objected to government health guidelines recommending milk, since many blacks, Asians and Hispanics are lactose intolerant. She fought for the Virgin Islands to get the total rum tax of $13.50 per gallon, instead of the current $10.50; but the clout behind this proposal comes from Puerto Rico's friends in the New York delegation. She got the support of Resources Chairman Don Young, who can remember when his Alaska was a territory and subject to the whims of Congress, to a proposal to allow the Virgin Islands to write a constitution and to reduce the V.I. Senate from 15 to nine members. She opposed Bill Clinton's designation in January 2001 of 12,708 undersea acres as the U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, arguing that it would hurt local fishermen. She is ranking minority member of the Parks Subcommittee and got a hearing on the issue in the Virgin Islands in July 2002. She was reelected easily in 2002.

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DC Office
1510 LHOB 20515, 202-225-1790; Fax: 202-225-5517; Web site: www.house.gov/christian-christensen

State Offices
St. Croix, 340-778-5900; St. Thomas, 340-774-4408.

Committees

• Resources (8th of 24 D): National Parks, Recreation & Public Lands (RMM).
• Select Committee on Homeland Security (18th of 23 D): Cybersecurity, Science and Research & Development; Emergency Preparedness & Response.
• Small Business (6th of 17 D): Regulatory Reform & Oversight; Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology.