WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US Virgin Islands’ Congressional Delegate- elect Janelle Sarauw has spent the past week in Washington at the new member orientation. She’s meeting her fellow congressional members and getting acquainted with congress.
Newly elected members of congress have been in Washington for an onboarding program where they learn now to operate their legislative office, navigate the Capitol buliding and learn about congressional rules and procedures before taking office.
“It’s amazing and overwhelming at the same time,” said USVI Delegate-Elect Janelle Sarauw. “It’s like going into your freshman year of college.”
Sarauw is taking over Stacey Plaskett’s spot. Sarauw hopes to be placed in committees such as Energy and Commerce or Transportation and Infrastructure. She said her first pirorities are to work on the items and issues she campaigned on:
“We really have a healthcare crisis and a disaster recovery crisis that encompasses most of our issues in the territory,” said Sarauw. “Our disaster recovery, the slow pace of it… we’ve not had any progress on it.” She adds the second is their healthcare and the residents of USVI not getting full Medicaid benefits.
Sarauw is already looking to make a huge change in the congressional rules. Delegates are non-voting members, meaning they can vote in committees but not on the House floor. She hopes to change that.
“We do want to change the rules,” said Sarauw. “If not now, when? The atmosphere is right.” She adds that she plans to include all of the US delegates to change that rule. “The time has come for America to really live out the true meaning of its creed: we the people.”
Sarauw said this week has given her a chance to establish relationships with fellow members of congress and get ready to take office in a few weeks.
“I look forward to serving my people the best way I know how to,” said Sarauw.
