Nov. 18, 2004 – Delegate Donna M. Christensen has pursued three objectives this week in the lame duck session of the 108th Congress. Most importantly, she has enlisted the assistance of members of the Ways and Means Committee to offer a technical amendment to the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, aimed at easing some of the restrictions imposed on the territory’s Economic Development Incentives program in legislation passed this fall.
"We are trying to soften the blow by offering technical corrections. It may not be seen as such, but it is worth the try," she said in a release.
Christensen said she has also spent much of the week urging Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to move the judicial nominations of Curtis Gomez and Raymond Finch for the District Court of the Virgin Islands with those under consideration this weekend. Both nominations had been caught in the partisan stalemate over Bush appointees in the Senate Judiciary Committee this year, she said.
"The Senate is working to clear its calendar and we are optimistic that the Gomez nomination will be approved this session. We are pushing equally as hard for the Finch nomination, which came later and is further down on the list. We hope that both will clear before this session ends," Christensen said.
Christensen had a more guarded assessment on the chances for passage of the Chief Financial Officer bill. She indicated that with opposition from Gov. Charles W. Turnbull and the Department of the Interior, it won't pass without a Senate hearing, which is unlikely to happen this week.
"But there is no opposition in the Senate and we are prepared to re-introduce it in the 109th Congress, where it is expected to immediately pass the House. It has gained more understanding and support, and, while there is work to be done, I anticipate that ultimately it will become law," she said.

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