[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8599 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8599

 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

                            October 16, 2020

 Ms. Escobar (for herself, Mr. Vela, Mr. Correa, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. 
   Cuellar) 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 
2020''.

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 5 (22 U.S.C. 290n-
5) the following:

``SEC. 5A. INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREPAREDNESS.

    ``(a) COVID-19 Response.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this section, 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.
    ``(b) COVID-19 Binational Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this section, 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 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 60 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this section, 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.
    ``(c) Future Infectious Disease Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this section, 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 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 60 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this section, 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.''.
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