[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2928 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2928

To authorize the Secretary of State, acting through the Commissioner of 
the International Boundary and Water Commission, to conclude agreements 
  with the appropriate representative of the Government of Mexico to 
        correct pollution along the United States-Mexico border.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 1993

 Mr. de la Garza introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of State, acting through the Commissioner of 
the International Boundary and Water Commission, to conclude agreements 
  with the appropriate representative of the Government of Mexico to 
        correct pollution along the United States-Mexico border.

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

SECTION 1. AGREEMENTS TO CORRECT POLLUTION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, acting through the United 
States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, 
United States and Mexico (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Commissioner''), is authorized to conclude agreements with the 
appropriate representative of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of 
Mexico for the purpose of correcting the international problem of 
pollution of the areas along the United States-Mexico border caused by 
discharge of raw and inadequately treated sewage and other pollution 
related problems along the border.
    (b) Content of Agreements.--Agreements concluded under subsection 
(a) should consist of recommendations to the Governments of the United 
States and Mexico of measures to protect the health and welfare of 
persons along the United States-Mexico border from the effects of 
pollution, including--
            (1) facilities that should be constructed, operated, and 
        maintained in each country;
            (2) estimates of the cost of the planning, construction, 
        operation, and maintenance of the facilities referred to in 
        paragraph (1);
            (3) formulas for the initial division between the United 
        States and Mexico of the cost of the planning, construction, 
        operation, and maintenance of the facilities referred to in 
        paragraph (1);
            (4) a method for review and adjustment of the formulas 
        referred to in paragraph (3) at intervals of five years that 
        recognizes that such initial formulas should not be used as a 
        precedent in their subsequent review and adjustment; and
            (5) dates for the beginning and completion of construction 
        of the facilities referred to in paragraph (1).

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF STATE TO PLAN, CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, 
              AND MAINTAIN FACILITIES.

    The Secretary of State, acting through the Commissioner, is 
authorized to act jointly with the appropriate representative of the 
Government of Mexico and to supervise--
            (1) the planning of, and
            (2) the construction, operation, and maintenance of,
the facilities recommended in agreements concluded pursuant to section 
2 and approved by the Government of the United States and Mexico.

SEC. 3. CONSULTATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
              PROTECTION AGENCY AND OTHER AUTHORITIES.

    The Secretary of State shall consult with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency and other concerned Federal, State, and 
local government officials in implementing this Act.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the United States to fund its share of the cost of the 
plans, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities 
recommended in agreements concluded pursuant to section 1 and approved 
by the Governments of the United States and Mexico.

SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, acting through the 
Commissioner, shall prepare an annual report regarding the activities 
of the International Boundary and Water Commission, including the 
implementation of this Act, for each fiscal year as provided in 
subsection (b). Such report shall be submitted to the President, the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Majority Leader of the 
Senate not later than ninety days after the end of each fiscal year.
    (b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a summary of the activities of the Commission during 
        the fiscal year;
            (2) a review of the international problem of pollution of 
        the areas along the United States-Mexico border caused by 
        discharge of raw and inadequately treated sewage and other 
        wastes from populated areas along the border;
            (3) a summary of the progress made by the Commissioner 
        during the fiscal year in concluding any agreement authorized 
        under section 1(a);
            (4) a summary of the recommendations included in any such 
        agreement under consideration or concluded during the fiscal 
        year, as provided in section 1(b);
            (5) a summary of the progress made toward fulfilling the 
        recommendations included in any such concluded agreement;
            (6) a summary of the actions taken by the Commissioner to 
        plan, construct, operate, and maintain facilities as authorized 
        under section 2;
            (7) a summary of the consultations made with the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and other 
        concerned Federal, State, and local government officials as 
        required under section 3;
            (8) any recommendations that the Commissioner determines 
        will be beneficial in correcting the international problem of 
        pollution of the areas along the United States-Mexico border 
        caused by discharge of raw and inadequately treated sewage and 
        other wastes from populated areas along the border; and
            (9) such other information as the Commissioner determines 
        is necessary or appropriate.

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