I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8599 

To amend the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act, with 

respect to preparedness for COVID–19 and other infectious diseases 

in the border region, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 16, 2020 

Ms. ESCOBAR (for herself, Mr. VELA, Mr. CORREA, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. 

CUELLAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act, with respect to preparedness for COVID–19 

and other infectious diseases in the border region, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Binational Health 

5 Strategies Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMIS2 SION INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREPAREDNESS. 

3 The United States-Mexico Border Health Commis4 sion Act (22 U.S.C. 290n et seq.) is amended by inserting 

5 after section 5 (22 U.S.C. 290n–5) the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 5A. INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREPAREDNESS. 

7 ‘‘(a) COVID–19 RESPONSE.—Not later than 120 

8 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and 

9 annually thereafter (for as long as the Commission, acting 

10 with the participation of members representing both the 

11 United States and Mexican sections, determines is nec12 essary), the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 

13 on the United States-Mexico Border Area’s response (be14 ginning on February 1, 2020) to COVID–19, including 

15 with respect to testing, contact tracing, and other infection 

16 prevention and control measures carried out in the United 

17 States-Mexico Border Area, in both the United States and 

18 Mexico. 

19 ‘‘(b) COVID–19 BINATIONAL PLAN.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days 

21 after the date of the enactment of this section, the 

22 Commission (acting with the participation of mem23 bers representing both the United States and Mexi24 can sections) shall develop, and publish on a public 

25 website of the Commission, a binational strategic 


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1 plan that addresses, with respect to COVID–19, 

2 how— 

3 ‘‘(A) the United States-Mexico Border 

4 Area should strengthen its response to COVID– 

5 19, with a focus on testing, contact tracing, and 

6 other infection prevention and control measures; 

7 ‘‘(B) the effect of COVID–19 on the eco8 nomic conditions in the United States-Mexico 

9 Border Area may be mitigated; 

10 ‘‘(C) the sharing of relevant health data, 

11 with respect to COVID–19, including testing 

12 and positivity rates, between health agencies 

13 within the United States-Mexico Border Area 

14 can be strengthened; and 

15 ‘‘(D) a vaccine should be disbursed 

16 throughout the United States-Mexico Border 

17 Area, taking into account the various vulnerable 

18 populations in the region. 

19 ‘‘(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 60 

20 days after the date of the enactment of this section, 

21 the Commission (acting with the participation of 

22 members representing both the United States and 

23 Mexican sections) shall develop, and publish on a 

24 public website of the Commission, what actions Fed25 eral agencies will take within the United States secVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:46 Nov 01, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8599.IH H8599

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1 tion and agencies of the Government of Mexico will 

2 take within the Mexican section of the United 

3 States-Mexico Border Area to facilitate implementa4 tion of the plan under paragraph (1). At least once 

5 each year after the publication of such information, 

6 the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 

7 on actions taken by Federal agencies and agencies of 

8 the Government of Mexico to facilitate that imple9 mentation during the year covered by the report. 

10 ‘‘(c) FUTURE INFECTIOUS DISEASE PLAN.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

12 after the date of the enactment of this section, the 

13 Commission shall develop and publish a plan to pre14 pare and respond to infectious diseases (other than 

15 COVID–19) within the United States-Mexico Border 

16 Area. Such plan shall address how— 

17 ‘‘(A) the United States-Mexico Border 

18 Area should strengthen its response to such in19 fectious diseases, with a focus on testing, con20 tact tracing, and other infection prevention and 

21 control measures; 

22 ‘‘(B) the effect of such infectious diseases 

23 on the economic conditions in the United 

24 States-Mexico Border Area may be mitigated; 


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1 ‘‘(C) the sharing of relevant health data, 

2 with respect to such infectious diseases, includ3 ing testing and positivity rates, between health 

4 agencies within the United States-Mexico Bor5 der Area can be strengthened; and 

6 ‘‘(D) a vaccine should be disbursed 

7 throughout the United States-Mexico Border 

8 Area, taking into account the various vulnerable 

9 populations in the region. 

10 ‘‘(2) UPDATES.—The Commission shall update 

11 the plan published under paragraph (1) at least once 

12 every 3 years for as long as the Commission, acting 

13 with the participation of members representing both 

14 the United States and Mexican sections, determines 

15 is necessary. 

16 ‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 60 

17 days after the date of the enactment of this section, 

18 the Commission (acting with the participation of 

19 members representing both the United States and 

20 Mexican sections) shall develop, and publish on a 

21 public website of the Commission, what actions Fed22 eral agencies will take within the United States sec23 tion and agencies of the Government of Mexico will 

24 take within the Mexican section of the United 

25 States-Mexico Border Area to facilitate implementaVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:46 Nov 01, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8599.IH H8599

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1 tion of the plan under paragraph (1). At least once 

2 a year after the publication of such information, the 

3 Commission shall submit to Congress a report on ac4 tions taken by Federal agencies and agencies of the 

5 Government of Mexico to facilitate that implementa6 tion during the year covered by the report.’’. 

Æ 


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