[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 72 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5674-S5675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL HEALTH IT WEEK

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 506, which was 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 506) to designate the period 
     beginning on June 5, 2006, and ending June 8, 2006, as 
     ``National Health IT week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be

[[Page S5675]]

agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that 
any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 506) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 506

       Whereas the Center for Information Technology Leadership 
     estimated that the implementation of national standards for 
     interoperability and the exchange of health information would 
     save the United States approximately $77,000,000,000 in 
     expenses relating to healthcare each year;
       Whereas the RAND Corporation estimated that, if the 
     healthcare system of the United States implemented the use of 
     computerized medical records, the system could save the 
     United States more than $81,000,000,000 each year;
       Whereas healthcare information technology has been shown to 
     improve the quality and safety of the delivery of healthcare 
     in the United States;
       Whereas healthcare information technology and management 
     systems have been recognized as essential tools for improving 
     the quality and cost efficiency of the healthcare system;
       Whereas the President and Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services have made a commitment to leveraging the benefits of 
     the healthcare information technology and management systems 
     by establishing of the Office of the National Coordinator for 
     Health Information Technology and the American Health 
     Information Community;
       Whereas Congress has placed an emphasis on improving the 
     quality and safety of the delivery of healthcare in the 
     United States; and
       Whereas 42 organizations have come together to support 
     National Healthcare IT Week to improve public awareness 
     relating to the potential benefits of improved quality and 
     cost efficiency that the healthcare system could achieve by 
     implementing health information technology: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates the period beginning 
     on June 5, 2006, and ending on June 8, 2006, as ``National 
     Health IT Week''.

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