Access to AEDs Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to local educational agencies and private elementary and secondary schools, in partnership with a health care entity, to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary and secondary schools.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6523 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6523
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to a local educational agency or private elementary or secondary
school, partnered with a public or nonprofit private health care
entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote
student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary
schools.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2022
Mr. Lawson of Florida (for himself, Mr. Posey, Mr. Grijalva, Ms.
Norton, Mr. Costa, Ms. Dean, Ms. Ross, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Deutch, Ms.
Jackson Lee, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Cardenas)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and
Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to a local educational agency or private elementary or secondary
school, partnered with a public or nonprofit private health care
entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote
student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary
schools.
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 ``Access to AEDs Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the
United States.
(2) Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening
emergency that is caused by a malfunction in the heart's
electrical system or structure, which is caused by an
abnormality from birth or one that develops over time.
(3) Studies show that 1 in 300 youth has an undetected
heart condition that puts them at risk.
(4) SCA is the leading cause of death for student athletes.
(5) Sports-related SCA accounted for 39 percent of SCAs
among children 18 years old or younger.
(6) In 2018, there were nearly 394,000 sudden cardiac
arrests that occurred in the United States, with 9 out of 10
being fatal. Only 1 in 10 victims survive a sudden cardiac
arrest.
(7) An estimated 7,000 to 23,000 young people are stricken
by SCA annually.
(8) The American Heart Association estimates that 5 in 10
victims of SCA could survive if bystanders gave CPR and used an
AED immediately.
(9) The chain of survival includes prompt notification of
emergency services and early CPR, defibrillation, and advanced
cardiac life support.
(10) Health education should include basic emergency
lifesaving skills. Incorporating these lifesaving training
programs into the health curriculum of elementary and secondary
schools will give school children these skills.
SEC. 3. PROMOTING STUDENT ACCESS TO DEFIBRILLATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
award grants to local educational agencies and private elementary and
secondary schools, in partnership with a public or nonprofit private
health care entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to
promote student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and
secondary schools by--
(1) developing and providing comprehensive materials to
establish AED and CPR programs in such schools;
(2) providing support for CPR and AED training programs in
such schools for students, staff, and related sports
volunteers;
(3) providing support for developing a cardiac emergency
action plan within such schools;
(4) purchasing AEDs that have been approved, or cleared for
marketing, by the Food and Drug Administration;
(5) purchasing necessary AED batteries and performing
necessary AED maintenance according to AED manufacturers;
(6) replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment,
machinery, and educational materials;
(7) fostering new and existing community partnerships with
and among local educational agencies, private schools,
nonprofit organizations, public health organizations, emergency
medical service providers, fire and police departments, and
parent-teacher associations to promote the importance of
defibrillation in elementary and secondary schools;
(8) aiding school athletic departments seeking to develop
programs to screen student athletes for risk of sudden cardiac
arrest; and
(9) further developing strategies to improve access to AEDs
in elementary and secondary schools.
(b) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under subsection (a),
a local educational agency or a private elementary or secondary school
shall submit an application to the Secretary--
(1) at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may reasonably require; and
(2) in partnership with a public or private nonprofit
health care entity that--
(A) demonstrates an ability to develop, train, and
implement a comprehensive program to promote student
access to defibrillation in elementary and secondary
schools; and
(B) is qualified in providing technical assistance
in AED and CPR training.
(c) Clearinghouse.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a clearinghouse
database--
(1) to collect and make available information, including
through voluntary reporting by local educational agencies,
schools, and manufacturers, relating to student access to
defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary schools,
including with respect to the costs of providing AEDs and CPR
training; and
(2) to gather information in a central location to
facilitate research regarding sudden cardiac arrest in the
pediatric population.
(d) Reports.--
(1) By grantee.--Not later than 4 years after receipt of a
grant under this section, the recipient of the grant shall
submit to the Secretary a report that describes the activities
carried out with funds received through the grant.
(2) By secretary.--Not later than one year after receiving
the reports required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
consolidated evaluation of the activities carried out pursuant
to grants under this section.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``AED'' means an automated external
defibrillator.
(2) The term ``CPR'' means cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
(3) The terms ``elementary school'', ``local educational
agency'', and ``secondary school'' have the meanings given to
such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $1,800,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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