[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1538 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1538
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
March 3, 2021
Ms. Escobar (for herself, Mr. Cuellar, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Grijalva,
Mr. Vela, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Vargas, Mrs. Kirkpatrick,
Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, and Mr. Carbajal) 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.
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 ``Binational Health Strategies Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION INFECTIOUS
DISEASE PREPAREDNESS.
The United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act (22 U.S.C.
290n et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 4 (22 U.S.C. 290n-
2) the following:
``SEC. 4A. INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREPAREDNESS.
``(a) Presidential Negotiations.--The President is authorized and
directed to, not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of
this section, seek to begin negotiations with Mexico to amend the
agreement entered into pursuant to section 2, addressing infectious
disease preparedness in the United States-Mexico Border Area, with
respect to--
``(1) COVID-19, including the development of the report
specified in subsection (b) and the plan specified in
subsection (c); and
``(2) other infectious diseases, including the development
and implementation of the plan specified in subsection (d).
``(b) COVID-19 Response.--Not later than 120 days after the date on
which negotiations referred to in subsection (a) begin, and annually
thereafter (for as long as the Commission, acting with the
participation of members representing both the United States and
Mexican sections, determines is necessary), the Commission shall submit
to Congress a report on the United States-Mexico Border Area's response
(beginning on February 1, 2020) to COVID-19, including with respect to
testing, contact tracing, and other infection prevention and control
measures carried out in the United States-Mexico Border Area, in both
the United States and Mexico.
``(c) COVID-19 Binational Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date on
which negotiations referred to in subsection (a) begin, the
Commission (acting with the participation of members
representing both the United States and Mexican sections) shall
develop, and publish on a public website of the Commission, a
binational strategic plan that addresses, with respect to
COVID-19, how--
``(A) the United States-Mexico Border Area should
strengthen its response to COVID-19, with a focus on
testing, contact tracing, and other infection
prevention and control measures;
``(B) the effect of COVID-19 on the economic
conditions in the United States-Mexico Border Area may
be mitigated;
``(C) the sharing of relevant health data, with
respect to COVID-19, including testing and positivity
rates, between health agencies within the United
States-Mexico Border Area can be strengthened; and
``(D) a COVID-19 vaccine should be disbursed
throughout the United States-Mexico Border Area, taking
into account the various vulnerable populations in the
region.
``(2) Implementation.--Not later than 90 days after the
date on which negotiations referred to in subsection (a) begin,
the Commission (acting with the participation of members
representing both the United States and Mexican sections) shall
develop, and publish on a public website of the Commission,
what actions Federal agencies will take within the United
States section and agencies of the Government of Mexico will
take within the Mexican section of the United States-Mexico
Border Area to facilitate implementation of the plan under
paragraph (1). At least once each year after the publication of
such information, the Commission shall submit to Congress a
report on actions taken by Federal agencies and agencies of the
Government of Mexico to facilitate that implementation during
the year covered by the report.
``(d) Future Infectious Disease Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which negotiations referred to in subsection (a) begin, the
Commission shall develop and publish a plan to prepare and
respond to infectious diseases (other than COVID-19) within the
United States-Mexico Border Area. Such plan shall address how--
``(A) the United States-Mexico Border Area should
strengthen its response to such infectious diseases,
with a focus on testing, contact tracing, and other
infection prevention and control measures;
``(B) the effect of such infectious diseases on the
economic conditions in the United States-Mexico Border
Area may be mitigated;
``(C) the sharing of relevant health data, with
respect to such infectious diseases, including testing
and positivity rates, between health agencies within
the United States-Mexico Border Area can be
strengthened; and
``(D) a vaccine for such infectious diseases should
be disbursed throughout the United States-Mexico Border
Area, taking into account the various vulnerable
populations in the region.
``(2) Updates.--The Commission shall update the plan
published under paragraph (1) at least once every 3 years for
as long as the Commission, acting with the participation of
members representing both the United States and Mexican
sections, determines is necessary.
``(3) Implementation.--Not later than 210 days after the
date on which negotiations referred to in subsection (a) begin,
the Commission (acting with the participation of members
representing both the United States and Mexican sections) shall
develop, and publish on a public website of the Commission,
what actions Federal agencies will take within the United
States section and agencies of the Government of Mexico will
take within the Mexican section of the United States-Mexico
Border Area to facilitate implementation of the plan under
paragraph (1). At least once a year after the publication of
such information, the Commission shall submit to Congress a
report on actions taken by Federal agencies and agencies of the
Government of Mexico to facilitate that implementation during
the year covered by the report.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) COVID-19.--The term `COVID-19' refers to the 2019
coronavirus disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.
``(2) SARS-CoV-2.--The term `SARS-CoV-2' refers to the
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus
responsible for COVID-19 and includes any viral variant
mutating therefrom with pandemic potential.''.
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