BUFFALO, N.Y. — The U.S. Senate passed the HEARTS Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training in schools, on Tuesday. The legislation, which was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, will now head to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act aims to improve cardiac emergency response in schools by creating a grant program at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program will provide funding to elementary and secondary schools for CPR and AED training, the purchase of AEDs, and the development of cardiac emergency response plans.
The bill’s passage comes after efforts from Schumer and Damar Hamlin. Hamlin’s life was saved when the Bills medical team used an AED and performed CPR. Since then, Hamlin has worked with Schumer to push for legislation that would ensure more schools have access to similar lifesaving resources.
“Touchdown! I’m proud to announce, after months of working with Damar Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills, the Senate has just passed the lifesaving HEARTS Act to put more AEDs in schools across America – like the one that saved Damar’s life,” said Senator Schumer. “Damar and I formed the perfect team, bringing together teachers, healthcare leaders and athletes to make sure every student has access to the kind of life-saving care he did. This legislation goes beyond the field and its impacts will stretch thousands of miles outside Buffalo to help millions of kids. Now, the HEARTS Act is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law and save lives.”
According to the American Heart Association, children who experience cardiac arrest are seven times as likely to survive as children in schools without AEDs and for every minute without CPR, chances of survival drop by 10%.
