United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act

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, 
    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 Border 
    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 community-based 
    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 States-Mexico 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 Commission 
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.

Summary: United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act - Authorizes the President to conclude an agreement with Mexico to establish a binational commission to be known as the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission. Declares that it should be the duty of the Commission to:  (1) conduct a needs assessment in the U.S.-Mexican border area to identify and resolve health problems that affect the general population of the area; and (2) formulate recommendations for a fair 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 furnished to a citizen of the first country who is unable to pay for the service. Permits the Commission to establish one border health office in each of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.