Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Health Information Technology Week, and encouraging the President to issue a proclamation supporting those goals and ideals.

Whereas the Center for Information Technology Leadership (CITL) 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 and other health information technology, the system could save the United States as much as $162,000,000,000 each year, and 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 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 organizations across the country have come together to support May 14 through May 18, 2007, as National Health Information Technology 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