(Washington, DC, September 29, 2006) — Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen announced today that three of her bills that were tied-up with unrelated issues in the U.S. Senate, became untangled this afternoon and passed unanimously. Bills to study St. Croix as a National Heritage Area and to consider the Castle Nugent properties as a unit of the National Park system passed the Senate and are on their way to the President for signature.

“I am pleased that after two and a half years of passing and re-passing my Heritage Area and Gasperi study bills, that they will at long last become law,” said Delegate Christensen.  “While I am disappointed that we will likely have to wait until Congress returns after the election for the House to act on the Property tax measure, passage of the bill in the Senate after five months of being held up, gives us a great deal of momentum to go forward,” she added.

H.R. 318, directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms, located on the southeastern shore of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System.

H.R. 59 requires the Secretary of the Interior to report on the feasibility of designating the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as the St. Croix National Heritage Area.
H.R. 61 would amend federal law to repeal specified provisions pertaining to real property taxation in the U.S. Virgin Islands which may result in increases to VI taxpayers.