S. 1225

One Hundred Third Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four

An Act

To authorize and encourage the President to conclude an agreement with Mexico

to establish a United States-Mexico Border Health Commission.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-Mexico Border

Health Commission Act’’.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION.

The President is authorized and encouraged to conclude an

agreement with Mexico to establish a binational commission to

be known as the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission.

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

It should be the duty of the Commission—

(1) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment in the

United States-Mexico Border Area for the purposes of identifying, evaluating, preventing, and resolving health problems and

potential health problems that affect the general population

of the area;

(2) to implement the actions recommended by the needs

assessment through—

(A) assisting in the coordination and implementation

of the efforts of public and private entities to prevent

and resolve such health problems, and

(B) assisting in the coordination and implementation

of efforts of public and private entities to educate such

population, in a culturally competent manner, concerning

such health problems; and

(3) to formulate recommendations to the Governments of

the United States and Mexico concerning a fair and reasonable

method by which the government of one country could

reimburse a public or private entity in the other country for

the cost of a health care service that the entity furnishes

to a citizen of the first country who is unable, through insurance

or otherwise, to pay for the service.

SEC. 4. OTHER AUTHORIZED FUNCTIONS.

In addition to the duties described in section 3, the Commission

should be authorized to perform the following functions as the

Commission determines to be appropriate—

(1) to conduct or support investigations, research, or studies

designed to identify, study, and monitor, on an on-going basis,
S. 1225—2

health problems that affect the general population in the United

States-Mexico Border Area;

(2) to conduct or support a binational, public-private effort

to establish a comprehensive and coordinated system, which

uses advanced technologies to the maximum extent possible,

for gathering health-related data and monitoring health problems in the United States-Mexico Border Area; and

(3) to provide financial, technical, or administrative assistance to public or private nonprofit entities who act to prevent

or resolve such problems or who educate the population concerning such health problems.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT OF UNITED STATES SECTION.— The United States section of the Commission should be composed

of 13 members. The section should consist of the following members: (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Secretary’s delegate. (2) The commissioners of health or chief health officer

from the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California

or such commissioners’ delegates. (3) Two individuals residing in United States-Mexico Bor- der Area in each of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona,

and California who are nominated by the chief executive officer

of the respective States and appointed by the President from

among individuals who have demonstrated ties to communitybased organizations and have demonstrated interest and expertise in health issues of the United States-Mexico Border Area.

(b) COMMISSIONER.—The Commissioner of the United States

section of the Commission should be the Secretary of Health and

Human Services or such individual’s delegate to the Commission.

The Commissioner should be the leader of the section.

(c) COMPENSATION.—Members of the United States section of

the Commission who are not employees of the United States or

any State—(1) shall each receive compensation at a rate of not to

exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay

payable for positions at GS–15 of the General Schedule under

section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for each day such

member is engaged in the actual performance of the duties

of the Commission; and

(2) shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence at rates authorized for employees of

agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United

States Code, while away from their homes or regular places

of business in the performance of services of the Commission.

SEC. 6. REGIONAL OFFICES.

The Commission may designate or establish one border health

office in each of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and

California. Such office should be located within the United StatesMexico Border Area, and should be coordinated with—

(1) State border health offices; and

(2) local nonprofit organizations designated by the State’s

chief executive officer and directly involved in border health

issues.

If feasible to avoid duplicative efforts, the Commission offices should

be located in existing State or local nonprofit offices. The Commis-
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sion should provide adequate compensation for cooperative efforts

and resources.

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

Not later than February 1 of each year that occurs more than

1 year after the date of the establishment of the Commission,

the Commission should submit an annual report to both the United

States Government and the Government of Mexico regarding all

activities of the Commission during the preceding calendar year.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Act:

(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the

United States-Mexico Border Health Commission.

(2) HEALTH PROBLEM.—The term ‘‘health problem’’ means

a disease or medical ailment or an environmental condition

that poses the risk of disease or medical ailment. The term

includes diseases, ailments, or risks of disease or ailment

caused by or related to environmental factors, control of animals

and rabies, control of insect and rodent vectors, disposal of

solid and hazardous waste, and control and monitoring of air

quality.

(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

of Health and Human Services.

(4) UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER AREA.—The term

‘‘United States-Mexico Border Area’’ means the area located

in the United States and Mexico within 100 kilometers of

the border between the United States and Mexico.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.