,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #heii ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #af1 #bjbj,ms4 ,escobar 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,vela1 ,mr4 ,correa1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 and ,mr4 ,cuellar7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 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 ,act1 with respect to preparedness for ,,covid-#ai and other infectious diseases in the border region1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,binational ,health ,strategies ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,health ,commission infectious disease preparedness ,the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,health ,commission ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bijn et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #e 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bijn-#e7 the following3 #e;,a4 ,infectious disease preparedness 7a7 ,,covid-#ai response ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter 7for as long as the ,commission1 acting with the participation of members representing both the ,united ,states and ,mexican sections1 determines is necessary71 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report on the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area's response 7beginning on ,february #a1 #bjbj7 to ,,covid-#ai1 including with respect to testing1 contact tracing1 and other infection prevention and control measures carried out in the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area1 in both the ,united ,states and ,mexico4 7b7 ,,covid-#ai binational plan 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission 7acting with the participation of members representing both the ,united ,states and ,mexican sections7 shall develop1 and publish on a public website of the ,commission1 a binational strategic plan that addresses1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai1 how-- 7,a7 the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area should strengthen its response to ,,covid-#ai1 with a focus on testing1 contact tracing1 and other infection prevention and control measures2 7,b7 the effect of ,,covid-#ai on the economic conditions in the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area may be mitigated2 7,c7 the sharing of relevant health data1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai1 including testing and positivity rates1 between health agencies within the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area can be strengthened2 and 7,d7 a vaccine should be disbursed throughout the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area1 taking into account the various vulnerable populations in the region4 7#b7 ,implementation ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission 7acting with the participation of members representing both the ,united ,states and ,mexican sections7 shall develop1 and publish on a public website of the ,commission1 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 7#a74 ,at least once each year after the publication of such information1 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 report4 7c7 ,future infectious disease plan 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission shall develop and publish a plan to prepare and respond to infectious diseases 7other than ,,covid-#ai7 within the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area4 ,such plan shall address how-- 7,a7 the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area should strengthen its response to such infectious diseases1 with a focus on testing1 contact tracing1 and other infection prevention and control measures2 7,b7 the effect of such infectious diseases on the economic conditions in the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area may be mitigated2 7,c7 the sharing of relevant health data1 with respect to such infectious diseases1 including testing and positivity rates1 between health agencies within the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area can be strengthened2 and 7,d7 a vaccine should be disbursed throughout the ,united ,states-,mexico ,border ,area1 taking into account the various vulnerable populations in the region4 7#b7 ,updates ,the ,commission shall update the plan published under paragraph 7#a7 at least once every #c years for as long as the ,commission1 acting with the participation of members representing both the ,united ,states and ,mexican sections1 determines is necessary4 7#c7 ,implementation ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission 7acting with the participation of members representing both the ,united ,states and ,mexican sections7 shall develop1 and publish on a public website of the ,commission1 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 7#a74 ,at least once a year after the publication of such information1 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 report4 4