I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4989 

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award a grant 

to a health care organization to promote student access to defibrillation 

in elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 5, 2019 

Mr. LAWSON of Florida (for himself and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) 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 a grant to a health care organization to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary and 

secondary schools, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access to AEDs Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE. 

6 The Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Heart disease is the leading cause of death 

2 in the United States. 

3 (2) Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause 

4 of death for student athletes. 

5 (3) In 2017, there were approximately 356,000 

6 sudden cardiac arrests that occurred in the United 

7 States, with 9 out of 10 being fatal (320,400). Only 

8 1 in 10 victims survive a sudden cardiac arrest 

9 (35,600). 

10 (4) The American Heart Association estimates 

11 that 5 in 10 victims (178,000) could survive if by12 standers gave CPR and used AEDs immediately, an 

13 additional 142,400 victims. 

14 (5) The chain of survival includes prompt noti15 fication of emergency services and early CPR, 

16 defibrillation, and advanced cardiac life support. 

17 (6) Health education should include basic emer18 gency lifesaving skills. Incorporating these lifesaving 

19 training programs into the health curriculum of ele20 mentary and secondary schools will give school chil21 dren these skills. 

22 SEC. 3. PROMOTING STUDENT ACCESS TO 

23 DEFIBRILLATION. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

25 Human Services shall award a grant to a health care orgaVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:56 Nov 12, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4989.IH H4989

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1 nization to promote student access to defibrillation in ele2 mentary schools and secondary schools by— 

3 (1) developing and providing comprehensive ma4 terials to establish defibrillation programs in such 

5 schools; 

6 (2) providing support for CPR and AED train7 ing programs in such schools; 

8 (3) fostering new and existing community part9 nerships with and among public and private organi10 zations (such as local educational agencies, nonprofit 

11 organizations, public health organizations, emer12 gency medical service providers, fire and police de13 partments, and parent-teacher associations) to pro14 mote the importance of defibrillation in such schools; 

15 (4) establishing a clearinghouse database to 

16 gather information in a central location regarding 

17 sudden cardiac arrest in the pediatric population 

18 and thereby facilitating the identification and con19 duct of further research; and 

20 (5) providing assistance to secondary school 

21 athletic departments seeking to develop programs to 

22 screen student athletes for risk of sudden cardiac ar23 rest. 

24 (b) APPLICATION.—A health care organization seek25 ing the grant under this section shall submit an applicaVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:56 Nov 12, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4989.IH H4989

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1 tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

2 containing such information as the Secretary may reason3 ably require. 

4 (c) REPORTS.— 

5 (1) BY GRANTEE.—Not later than 4 years after 

6 receipt of the grant under this section, the health 

7 care organization receiving the grant shall submit to 

8 the Secretary a report that describes the activities 

9 carried out with funds received through the grant. 

10 (2) BY SECRETARY.—Not later than 3 months 

11 after receipt of the report required by paragraph 

12 (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 

13 committees of Congress an evaluation of the success 

14 of the activities carried out pursuant to the grant 

15 under this section. 

16 (d) DEFINITION.—In this section: 

17 (1) The term ‘‘AED’’ means an automated ex18 ternal defibrillator. 

19 (2) The term ‘‘CPR’’ means cardiopulmonary 

20 resuscitation. 

21 (3) The terms ‘‘elementary school’’ and ‘‘sec22 ondary school’’ have the meanings given to such 

23 terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec24 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 


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1 (4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

2 of Health and Human Services. 

3 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

4 out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 

5 $800,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 through 

6 2024. 

Æ 


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