I appreciate this opportunity to join my friends from across the United States and Mexico to celebrate the 5th Annual Binational Health Week. Binational Health Week affords us an opportunity to reflect upon the many successful efforts made here in the United States in cooperation with Mexican consulates to promote health and wellbeing amongst those who might otherwise lack access to important health care services and to discuss what further efforts should be made to address shortcomings that still exist. Binational Health Week originated as an effort by Mexicos Secretary of Health to direct health care services to underserved migrant populations here in the United States. In October 2001. the Mexican consulates in California partnered with the California Department of Health Services to celebrate the first Binational Health Week in an effort to mobilize local health clinics and community organizations to provide services to people of Latin origin. Since then.