[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5592 Introduced in House (IH)]







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.

    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 ``Border Health Security Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Border area.--The term ``border area'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``United States-Mexico Border Area'' in section 
        8 of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act (22 
        U.S.C. 290n-6).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 3. BORDER HEALTH GRANTS.

    (a) Eligible Entity Defined.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
entity'' means a State, public institution of higher education, local 
government, tribal government, nonprofit health organization, or 
community health center receiving assistance under section 330 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), that is located in the 
border area.
    (b) Authorization.--From funds appropriated under subsection (f), 
the Secretary, acting through the United States members of the United 
States-Mexico Border Health Commission, shall award grants to eligible 
entities to address priorities and recommendations to improve the 
health of border area residents that are established by--
            (1) the United States members of the United States-Mexico 
        Border Health Commission;
            (2) the State border health offices; and
            (3) the Secretary.
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant under 
subsection (b) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    (d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subsection (b) shall use the grant funds for--
            (1) programs relating to--
                    (A) maternal and child health;
                    (B) primary care and preventative health;
                    (C) public health and public health infrastructure;
                    (D) health promotion;
                    (E) oral health;
                    (F) behavioral and mental health;
                    (G) substance abuse;
                    (H) health conditions that have a high prevalence 
                in the border area;
                    (I) medical and health services research;
                    (J) workforce training and development;
                    (K) community health workers or promotoras;
                    (L) health care infrastructure problems in the 
                border area (including planning and construction 
                grants);
                    (M) health disparities in the border area;
                    (N) environmental health;
                    (O) health education; and
                    (P) outreach and enrollment services with respect 
                to Federal programs (including programs authorized 
                under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 1396 et seq. and 1397aa et seq.)); and
            (2) other programs determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    (e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Amounts provided to an eligible 
entity awarded a grant under subsection (b) shall be used to supplement 
and not supplant other funds available to the eligible entity to carry 
out the activities described in subsection (d).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year.

SEC. 4. BORDER BIOTERRORISM PREPAREDNESS GRANTS.

    (a) Eligible Entity Defined.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
entity'' means a State, local government, tribal government, or public 
health entity.
    (b) Authorization.--From funds appropriated under subsection (e), 
the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities for bioterrorism 
preparedness in the border area.
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (d) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subsection (b) shall use the grant funds to, in coordination with State 
and local bioterrorism programs--
            (1) develop and implement bioterror preparedness plans and 
        readiness assessments and purchase items necessary for such 
        plans;
            (2) coordinate bioterrorism and emergency preparedness 
        planning in the region;
            (3) improve infrastructure, including syndrome surveillance 
        and laboratory capacity;
            (4) create a health alert network, including risk 
        communication and information dissemination;
            (5) educate and train clinicians, epidemiologists, 
        laboratories, and emergency personnel; and
            (6) carry out other such activities identified by the 
        Secretary, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission, 
        State and local public health offices, and border health 
        offices.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 
and such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year.

SEC. 5. UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION ACT AMENDMENTS.

    The United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act (22 U.S.C. 
290n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each succeeding fiscal year.''.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION OF HEALTH SERVICES AND SURVEILLANCE.

    The Secretary may coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland 
Security in establishing a health alert system that--
            (1) alerts clinicians and public health officials of 
        emerging disease clusters and syndromes along the border area; 
        and
            (2) is alerted to signs of health threats or bioterrorism 
        along the border area.

SEC. 7. BINATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND HEALTH INSURANCE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall enter into a contract with the 
Institute of Medicine for the conduct of a study concerning binational 
public health infrastructure and health insurance efforts. In 
conducting such study, the Institute shall solicit input from border 
health experts and health insurance issuers.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
Secretary enters into the contract under subsection (a), the Institute 
of Medicine shall submit to the Secretary and the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report concerning the study conducted under 
such contract. Such report shall include the recommendations of the 
Institute on ways to expand or improve binational public health 
infrastructure and health insurance efforts.

SEC. 8. PROVISION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE TO CONGRESS.

    Section 5 of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act 
(22 U.S.C. 290n-3) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Providing Advice and Recommendations to Congress.--A member 
of the Commission, or an individual who is on the staff of the 
Commission, may at any time provide advice or recommendations to 
Congress concerning issues that are considered by the Commission. Such 
advice or recommendations may be provided whether or not a request for 
such advice or recommendations is made by a member of Congress and 
regardless of whether the member or individual is authorized to provide 
such advice or recommendations by the Commission or any other Federal 
official.''.
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