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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn joined Senators Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday to highlight a bill that would provide federal funds for states to cover the costs of federally mandated emergency health care for undocumented immigrants."Hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley and all along the Texas border are struggling to keep their doors open. This bill will give much needed resources to our doctors and health care providers, allowing them to continue providing access to critical medical services for the border region,” said Senator Cornyn. the Local Emergency Health Services Reimbursement Act, S.412, would give funding to doctors, hospitals, localities, states and other health care providers that currently offer uncompensated emergency health care to immigrants. According to a study commissioned by members of Congress, Texas border counties alone pay nearly $74 million in uncompensated costs due to undocumented immigrants. Under the bill, Texas health care providers would receive approximately $285 million annually in compensation."Texans should not have to pay more than their fair share of costs to cover the federally mandated health care for undocumented immigrants. This legislation will balance the scales,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Access to health care affects more than just the border, however, and the funding provided in this bill will be available statewide, wherever the need exists.” The Local Emergency Health Services Reimbursement Act provides $1.45 billion annually for five years to provide federally mandated, but as yet uncompensated emergency health treatment to undocumented immigrants; provide funds to the 17 states with the highest number of such immigrants; and fund the six highest undocumented immigrant apprehension states. Texas has 14.9 percent of the total nationwide undocumented immigrant population and would receive approximately $285 million per year, based on the amount of undocumented immigrants, and number of apprehensions.