I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5592 

To establish grant programs to improve the health of border area residents 

and for bioterrorism preparedness in the border area, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2008 

Mr. REYES (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. 

ORTIZ, and Mr. HINOJOSA) 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 establish grant programs to improve the health of border 

area residents and for bioterrorism preparedness in the 

border area, 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 ‘‘Border Health Secu5 rity Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) BORDER AREA.—The term ‘‘border area’’ 

2 has the meaning given the term ‘‘United States3 Mexico Border Area’’ in section 8 of the United 

4 States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act (22 

5 U.S.C. 290n–6). 

6 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

7 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

8 SEC. 3. BORDER HEALTH GRANTS. 

9 (a) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—In this section, 

10 the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a State, public institution 

11 of higher education, local government, tribal government, 

12 nonprofit health organization, or community health center 

13 receiving assistance under section 330 of the Public 

14 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), that is located in 

15 the border area. 

16 (b) AUTHORIZATION.—From funds appropriated 

17 under subsection (f), the Secretary, acting through the 

18 United States members of the United States-Mexico Bor19 der Health Commission, shall award grants to eligible en20 tities to address priorities and recommendations to im21 prove the health of border area residents that are estab22 lished by— 

23 (1) the United States members of the United 

24 States-Mexico Border Health Commission; 

25 (2) the State border health offices; and 


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1 (3) the Secretary. 

2 (c) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity that desires a 

3 grant under subsection (b) shall submit an application to 

4 the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con5 taining such information as the Secretary may require. 

6 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 

7 a grant under subsection (b) shall use the grant funds 

8 for— 

9 (1) programs relating to— 

10 (A) maternal and child health; 

11 (B) primary care and preventative health; 

12 (C) public health and public health infra13 structure; 

14 (D) health promotion; 

15 (E) oral health; 

16 (F) behavioral and mental health; 

17 (G) substance abuse; 

18 (H) health conditions that have a high 

19 prevalence in the border area; 

20 (I) medical and health services research; 

21 (J) workforce training and development; 

22 (K) community health workers or 

23 promotoras; 


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1 (L) health care infrastructure problems in 

2 the border area (including planning and con3 struction grants); 

4 (M) health disparities in the border area; 

5 (N) environmental health; 

6 (O) health education; and 

7 (P) outreach and enrollment services with 

8 respect to Federal programs (including pro9 grams authorized under titles XIX and XXI of 

10 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq. 

11 and 1397aa et seq.)); and 

12 (2) other programs determined appropriate by 

13 the Secretary. 

14 (e) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Amounts pro15 vided to an eligible entity awarded a grant under sub16 section (b) shall be used to supplement and not supplant 

17 other funds available to the eligible entity to carry out the 

18 activities described in subsection (d). 

19 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

20 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

21 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and 

22 each succeeding fiscal year. 


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1 SEC. 4. BORDER BIOTERRORISM PREPAREDNESS GRANTS. 

2 (a) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—In this section, 

3 the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a State, local govern4 ment, tribal government, or public health entity. 

5 (b) AUTHORIZATION.—From funds appropriated 

6 under subsection (e), the Secretary shall award grants to 

7 eligible entities for bioterrorism preparedness in the bor8 der area. 

9 (c) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity that desires a 

10 grant under this section shall submit an application to the 

11 Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 

12 such information as the Secretary may require. 

13 (d) USES OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 

14 a grant under subsection (b) shall use the grant funds to, 

15 in coordination with State and local bioterrorism pro16 grams— 

17 (1) develop and implement bioterror prepared18 ness plans and readiness assessments and purchase 

19 items necessary for such plans; 

20 (2) coordinate bioterrorism and emergency pre21 paredness planning in the region; 

22 (3) improve infrastructure, including syndrome 

23 surveillance and laboratory capacity; 

24 (4) create a health alert network, including risk 

25 communication and information dissemination; 


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1 (5) educate and train clinicians, epidemiolo2 gists, laboratories, and emergency personnel; and 

3 (6) carry out other such activities identified by 

4 the Secretary, the United States-Mexico Border 

5 Health Commission, State and local public health of6 fices, and border health offices. 

7 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

8 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

9 $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may 

10 be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year. 

11 SEC. 5. UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMIS12 SION ACT AMENDMENTS. 

13 The United States-Mexico Border Health Commis14 sion Act (22 U.S.C. 290n et seq.) is amended by adding 

15 at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 ‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

18 this Act $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums 

19 as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year.’’. 

20 SEC. 6. COORDINATION OF HEALTH SERVICES AND SUR21 VEILLANCE. 

22 The Secretary may coordinate with the Secretary of 

23 Homeland Security in establishing a health alert system 

24 that— 


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1 (1) alerts clinicians and public health officials 

2 of emerging disease clusters and syndromes along 

3 the border area; and 

4 (2) is alerted to signs of health threats or bio5 terrorism along the border area. 

6 SEC. 7. BINATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE 

7 AND HEALTH INSURANCE. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into a 

9 contract with the Institute of Medicine for the conduct of 

10 a study concerning binational public health infrastructure 

11 and health insurance efforts. In conducting such study, 

12 the Institute shall solicit input from border health experts 

13 and health insurance issuers. 

14 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

15 on which the Secretary enters into the contract under sub16 section (a), the Institute of Medicine shall submit to the 

17 Secretary and the appropriate committees of Congress a 

18 report concerning the study conducted under such con19 tract. Such report shall include the recommendations of 

20 the Institute on ways to expand or improve binational pub21 lic health infrastructure and health insurance efforts. 


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1 SEC. 8. PROVISION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE 

2 TO CONGRESS. 

3 Section 5 of the United States-Mexico Border Health 

4 Commission Act (22 U.S.C. 290n–3) is amended by add5 ing at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(d) PROVIDING ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS

7 TO CONGRESS.—A member of the Commission, or an indi8 vidual who is on the staff of the Commission, may at any 

9 time provide advice or recommendations to Congress con10 cerning issues that are considered by the Commission. 

11 Such advice or recommendations may be provided whether 

12 or not a request for such advice or recommendations is 

13 made by a member of Congress and regardless of whether 

14 the member or individual is authorized to provide such ad15 vice or recommendations by the Commission or any other 

16 Federal official.’’. 

Æ 


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