[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2366-S2368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. COLEMAN (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Smith, 
        and Mr. Kohl):
  S. 716. A bill to establish a Consortium on the Impact of Technology 
in Aging Health Services; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my 
legislation, Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health 
Services Act of 2007, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 716

       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 ``Consortium on the Impact of 
     Technology in Aging Health Services Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSORTIUM.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established a Consortium to be 
     known as the ``Consortium on the Impact of Technology in 
     Aging Health Services'' (referred to in this Act as the 
     ``Consortium'').
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Consortium is to evaluate 
     the potential of new technologies to help the United States 
     prepare for the unprecedented demographic changes that will 
     occur during the next 10 years in the Nation's healthcare 
     system.
       (c) Membership.--
       (1) Composition.--The Consortium shall be composed of 17 
     members, of whom--
       (A) 1 member shall be appointed by the President and 
     designated by the President as Chairperson of the Consortium;
       (B) 4 members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of 
     the Senate;
       (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
     the Senate;
       (D) 4 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives; and
       (E) 4 members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (2) Qualifications.--
       (A) In general.--Appointments to the Consortium shall be 
     made from individuals who are senior-level executives from 
     the Federal Government or the private-sector who have 
     demonstrated experience as--
       (i) providers of senior, geriatric, and other assistive 
     services, including housing, nursing care, home-and-community 
     based services, and assisted living and caregiver 
     organizations;
       (ii) technology developers or producers of products for 
     aged individuals;
       (iii) Federal, State, or academic researchers that focus on 
     aging issues;
       (iv) physicians and other health care providers;
       (v) insurers and other payer organizations; and
       (vi) representatives of the pharmaceutical industry.
       (B) Inclusion of seniors and individuals with 
     disabilities.--At least 2 appointees shall be--
       (i) age 65 or older; or
       (ii) an individual with a disability.
       (3) Date of appointments.--The appointment of a member of 
     the Consortium shall be made not later than 30 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act.
       (d) Term; Vacancies.--
       (1) Term.--A member shall be appointed for the life of the 
     Consortium.
       (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Consortium--
       (A) shall not affect the powers of the Consortium; and
       (B) shall be filled, not later than 30 days after the 
     Consortium is given notice of the vacancy, in the same manner 
     as the original appointment was made.
       (e) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
     on which all members of the Consortium have been appointed, 
     the Consortium shall hold the initial meeting of the 
     Consortium.
       (f) Meetings.--The Consortium shall meet at the call of the 
     Chairperson.
       (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Consortium 
     shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
     hold hearings.

     SEC. 3. DUTIES.

       (a) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Consortium shall conduct a study of 
     all matters relating to the potential use of new technology 
     to assist older adults and their caregivers throughout the 
     aging process.
       (2) Matters to be studied.--The matters to be studied by 
     the Consortium shall include--
       (A) methods for identifying technology that can be adapted 
     to meet the needs of seniors, individuals with disabilities, 
     and the caregivers of such seniors and individuals across all 
     aging services settings;

[[Page S2367]]

       (B) methods for fostering scientific innovation with 
     respect to aging services technology within the business and 
     academic communities;
       (C) identifying barriers to innovation in aging services 
     technology and devising strategies for removing such barriers 
     ;
       (D) developments in aging services technology in other 
     countries that may be applied in the United States;
       (E) methods for ensuring that businesses in the United 
     States have a leadership role in the rapidly expanding global 
     market of aging services technology; and
       (F) identifying barriers to the adoption of aging services 
     technology by health care providers and consumers and 
     devising strategies to removing such barriers.
       (b) Recommendations.--The Consortium shall develop 
     recommendations with respect to the following:
       (1) Identification of developments in current aging 
     services technologies that may result in increased efficiency 
     and cost savings to the healthcare system.
       (2) Opportunities for ongoing research and development by 
     the public and private sectors to accelerate the development 
     and adoption of aging services technology in order to--
       (A) promote the independence of seniors and individuals 
     with disabilities;
       (B) facilitate early disease detection;
       (C) delay the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional 
     decline resulting from disease and the aging process;
       (D) support wellness activities and preventive behaviors;
       (E) promote greater support to community- and facility-
     based caregivers;
       (F) develop systems that improve the quality and efficiency 
     of facility-based care, such as pharmacy distribution 
     programs and secure electronic clinical records;
       (G) enhance the utilization of technology by caregivers to 
     reduce the burden of paperwork ;
       (H) minimize caregiver burnout; and
       (I) reduce medication errors and improve overall 
     compliance.
       (3) Identification of methods to ensure that necessary 
     technology infrastructure is in place to deliver aging 
     services to rural and urban areas.
       (4) Whether to establish--
       (A) a permanent Federal interagency task force that will 
     facilitate the development and distribution of aging services 
     technology; and
       (B) a National Resource Center that would stimulate 
     research, oversee demonstration projects, and provide 
     training and technical assistance to Federal, State, and 
     private sector organizations and entities that provide aging 
     services.
       (5) Assignment of responsibilities for aging services with 
     respect to jurisdiction, funding, and reporting 
     relationships.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Consortium shall submit to the 
     President and the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
     that contains the recommendations of the Consortium with 
     respect to the following:
       (1) Development of national policy.--The development of a 
     national policy to address issues with respect to technology 
     and assistive health services for seniors, including the 
     appropriate roles and responsibilities for the Federal 
     Government, State and local governments, and the private 
     sector.
       (2) Legislative and program changes.--The specific 
     legislative and regulatory changes with respect to Federal 
     laws and programs that would support and encourage the 
     private sector to develop and make widely available consumer-
     empowered technology solutions.
       (3) Establishment of national resource center.--The 
     establishment of a National Resource Center on Aging Services 
     Technologies to offer training and assistance to the Federal 
     Government, State and local governments, and the private 
     sector in the application of technology in pilots and trials 
     with respect to assistive health services for seniors.

     SEC. 4. POWERS.

       (a) Hearings.--The Consortium may hold such hearings, meet 
     and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and 
     receive such evidence as the Consortium considers advisable 
     to carry out this Act.
       (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
       (1) In general.--The Consortium may secure directly from a 
     Federal agency such information as the Consortium considers 
     necessary to carry out this Act.
       (2) Provision of information.--Except as otherwise provided 
     by law, on request of the Chairperson of the Consortium, the 
     head of the agency shall provide the information to the 
     Consortium.
       (c) Postal Services.--The Consortium may use the United 
     States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
     as other agencies of the Federal Government.
       (d) Contract Authority.--The Consortium may contract with 
     and compensate government and private agencies or persons for 
     services, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised 
     Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).
       (e) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of 
     the Consortium may, if authorized by the Consortium, take any 
     action which the Consortium is authorized to take by this 
     section.
       (f) Gifts.--The Consortium may accept, use, and dispose of 
     gifts or donations of services or property.
       (g) Printing.--For purposes of costs relating to printing 
     and binding, including the costs of personnel detailed from 
     the Government Printing Office, the Consortium shall be 
     deemed to be a committee of Congress.

     SEC. 5. CONSORTIUM PERSONNEL MATTERS.

       (a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Consortium 
     shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by 
     reason of their service on the Consortium.
       (b) Travel Expenses.--A member of the Consortium shall be 
     allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
     subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency 
     under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
     Code, while away from the home or regular place of business 
     of the member in the performance of the duties of the 
     Consortium.
       (c) Staff.--
       (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Consortium may, 
     without regard to the civil service laws (including 
     regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and 
     such other additional personnel as are necessary to enable 
     the Consortium to perform the duties of the Consortium.
       (2) Compensation.--
       (A) Executive director.--The executive director shall be 
     paid the rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive 
     Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (B) Other staff.--The staff shall be appointed subject to 
     the provisions of title 5, United States Code, government 
     appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in 
     accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
     III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 
     and General Schedule pay rates.
       (d) Detail of Federal Government Employees.--
       (1) In general.--An employee of the Federal Government may 
     be detailed to the Consortium without reimbursement.
       (2) Civil service status.--The detail of the employee shall 
     be without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
     privilege.
       (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--
     The Chairperson of the Consortium may procure temporary and 
     intermittent services in accordance with section 3109(b) of 
     title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that do 
     not exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of 
     basic pay payable for the General Schedule.
       (f) Physical Facilities.--The Administrator of the General 
     Services Administration shall locate suitable office space 
     for the operation of the Consortium. The facilities shall 
     serve as the headquarters of the Consortium and shall include 
     all necessary equipment and incidentals required for the 
     proper functioning of the Consortium.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act $1,500,000, for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 
     2011, to remain available until expended.

     SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF CONSORTIUM.

       The Consortium shall terminate 180 days after the date on 
     which the Consortium submits the report required under 
     section 3(c).
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues, Senator 
Coleman, and Representatives Eshoo and Ramstad, in reintroducing the 
Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Health Services Act.
  We face a challenging and exciting time in the evolution of America's 
health care system. Today, roughly 45 million men and women are over 
age 65. A full doubling of the elderly population is predicted to occur 
by the year 2030--with the first of the baby boom generation turning 65 
in the year 2011--only four years from now.
  Nowhere is the aging of the population more apparent than in my home 
State of Rhode Island. We exceed the national average in terms of 
citizens over the age of 65 as well as those over the age of 85. In a 
State of slightly more than a million people, almost 15 percent of the 
population is over the age of 65 today. According to Census Bureau 
estimates, the number of elderly is expected to increase to 18.8 
percent of Rhode Island's population by 2025.
  Dramatic increases in life expectancy over the last century can be 
attributed to tremendous advances in health and medical research. These 
demographic changes also pose new challenges to our health care system 
that require creative and innovative solutions.
  In addition to Americans living longer, keeping up with advancements 
in medical science poses unique burdens and challenges for our health 
care system. We are facing shortages in a number of critical health 
care fields--nurses, primary care physicians, and geriatricians--to 
name a few. These workforce issues further hinder our ability to keep 
up with the health care needs of aging Americans.
  Greater use of technology has the potential to enhance the quality of 
care to our aging population and enable seniors to remain healthy and 
live independently longer. The overwhelming

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majority of seniors in my State and across the Nation want to ``age in 
place''--in their homes--close to their loved ones. Indeed, a growing 
number of the baby boom generation support funding aging services 
technology research, and believe technology will allow them to live 
longer and more independently.
  The application of technology in the aging health care services field 
would also help mitigate the burden on providers, by allowing 
physicians, home health care workers, and family members to keep in 
regular contact with patients and loved ones. Better monitoring of 
elderly patients would also serve to identify changes in their health 
condition before a serious problem arises.
  The bill we are introducing today would build on groundbreaking 
research and public-private partnerships to find evidence-based 
approaches to behavioral assessment and non-intrusive health 
monitoring. Improving in-home monitoring technologies and remote 
diagnostics will provide seniors and their caregivers with greater 
independence and flexibility. A recent study found that Americans, 
particularly those with chronic conditions, are already utilizing the 
Internet and online tools to better manage their health. Using 
technology to enhance health care professionals ability to access vital 
health information will not only improve diagnosis and treatment, but 
it will also inform the health decisions of seniors and their families.
  Smarter applications of technology in caring for the aged could also 
address some of the growing concerns with skyrocketing budget deficits. 
As we grapple with Medicare and Medicaid taking up a growing proportion 
of overall federal spending, we need to carefully balance health care 
expenditures while also improving the quality of care. We need to use 
precious health care dollars wisely and prudently as we seek creative 
ways to continue to provide quality health services to the elderly.
  The Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Health Services Act 
will bring together experts from the medical, aging, and technology 
fields to build a vision and a framework for the development and 
implementation of a 21st century health care system able to meet the 
needs of our burgeoning aging population.
  We need to change the way we think about health care for our Nation's 
seniors. We need a model that is oriented toward health promotion and 
disease prevention. This legislation gives us a jumpstart on developing 
and implementing the tools and strategies to serve the senior 
population of America more effectively and with greater cost savings.
  I am pleased to join with my colleagues in introducing this important 
initiative and hope the Senate will give it careful consideration.
                                 ______