[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION ACT

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1225) to authorize and encourage the President to 
conclude an agreement with Mexico to establish a United States-Mexico 
Border Health Commission.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1225

         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 ``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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Dingell] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Fields] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell].
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, this is a piece of legislation that came 
out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce by overwhelming vote. It 
sets up a commission to inquire into health problems along the border 
between the United States and Mexico. It will inquire, among other 
things, into the question of how a country may look to the other 
country to pay its proper share of the health care of its nationals 
residing in the other country.
  It is overall a good piece of legislation which will be extremely 
helpful to people living on both sides of the border. It will be 
particularly beneficial to the United States in seeing to it that our 
dear friends in Mexico are contributing to the care and welfare of 
their nationals instead of having the matter addressed by the 
governments of the States along the borders of the United States and 
Mexico.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. Coleman], author of the legislation, and I commend him for 
his hard work on the matter.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me and for those kind words. I would say at the outset that I am very 
appreciative of both the ranking minority member as well as the 
chairman of the committee and the subcommittee, the gentleman from 
Virginia [Mr. Bliley], the gentleman from California [Mr. Waxman], the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Moorhead], as well as the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Dingell] in their efforts in passing this legislation 
through the committee.
  I would only say that it was correctly cited as the United States-
Mexico Border Health Commission Act.
  The purpose of the bill is for the President to be authorized by this 
legislation and encouraged to conduct an agreement with Mexico to 
establish a binational Commission to be known as the United States-
Mexico Border Health Commission. The duty of the Commission is 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 that area, to implement the actions 
recommended by the needs assessment through assisting units of local 
government and public health care officials.
  This legislation has been endorsed by the American Medical 
Association, by the Texas Medical Association, by the New Mexico 
Medical Association, by the Arizona Medical Association, by the 
California Medical Association, and public health officials in every 
one of those States.
  Let me also say that the concern that was expressed by some Members, 
I think, earlier on this legislation was well founded, if, in fact, the 
legislation had done what they feared. It does not.
  In fact, this legislation will permit the compensation to each 
other's country for the caring of those citizens of that country within 
our country or within their country.
  Let me say that in a more simple way. Perhaps, it would make better 
sense. For example, if we are taking uncompensated care and paying for 
it for a Mexican citizen in a United States hospital, this Commission 
would be able to negotiate for a payment from Mexico to the United 
States for that care. Likewise, American citizens who find themselves 
in a Mexican hospital and if Mexico is uncompensated for that care for 
some reason, and oftentimes it occurs that some American citizens do 
not have the funds necessary to pay for that care, then the United 
States would also be negotiating with Mexico and this Commission to pay 
for that care.
  We are not certain that Mexico will agree to the creation of the 
commission from their side. But we think this is a good first step and 
a good beginning to try to resolve the problems that many States have 
been suing the Federal Government about for uncompensated for care that 
we are providing to foreign nationals.
  I think it is a good piece of legislation. I would urge its 
acceptance and it passage.
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FIELDS of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce is a committee that works well together. We are bipartisan in 
nature.
  Tonight I have been in conversation with our ranking minority member, 
the gentleman from California [Mr. Moorhead]. I have been in 
conversation with our ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on 
Health, the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bliley]. I have been in 
consultation with my good friend, the gentleman from El Paso, TX [Mr. 
Coleman], the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Michigan 
[Mr. Dingell], and Senator Hutchison from Texas, and we urge support of 
the legislation and ask our colleagues to support the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of complimenting the gentleman 
from Texas [Mr. Coleman] for his hard work on behalf of this bill but 
also to express my great affection and regard for the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Fields], who is an enormously valuable member 
of our committee. I thank him for his work on the legislation and for 
many other fine things that he has done on our committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1225.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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