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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6829 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6829

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 24, 2024

     Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
  To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize and support the 
creation and dissemination of cardiomyopathy education, awareness, and 
   risk assessment materials and resources to identify more at-risk 
families, to authorize research and surveillance activities relating to 
                cardiomyopathy, and for other purposes.

 

    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 ``Cardiomyopathy Health Education, 
Awareness, and Research, and AED Training in the Schools Act of 2024'' 
or the ``HEARTS Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. CARDIOMYOPATHY HEALTH EDUCATION, AWARENESS, AND RESEARCH, AND 
              AED TRAINING IN SCHOOLS.

    (a) Amendment.--The Public Health Service Act is amended by 
inserting after section 312 (42 U.S.C. 244) the following:

``SEC. 312A. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES TO INCREASE EDUCATION AND 
              AWARENESS OF CARDIOMYOPATHY AMONG SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, 
              EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES.

    ``(a) Materials and Resources.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary, in 
consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, shall develop public education materials and resources to 
be disseminated to school administrators, educators, school health 
professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other 
appropriate individuals. The materials and resources shall include--
            ``(1) information on the signs, symptoms, and risk factors 
        associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart 
        rhythm abnormalities that may cause sudden cardiac arrest in 
        children, adolescents, and young adults, including--
                    ``(A) cardiomyopathy;
                    ``(B) long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, 
                catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, 
                short QT syndrome, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; 
                and
                    ``(C) other high-risk cardiac conditions, as 
                determined by the Secretary;
            ``(2) guidelines regarding the placement of automated 
        external defibrillators in schools, early childhood education 
        programs, and child care centers;
            ``(3) training information on automated external 
        defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and
            ``(4) recommendations for how schools, early childhood 
        education programs, and child care centers can develop and 
        implement a cardiac emergency response plan.
    ``(b) Dissemination of Materials and Resources.--Not later than 30 
months after the date of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the 
Secretary shall disseminate the materials and resources developed under 
subsection (a) in accordance with the following:
            ``(1) Distribution by state educational agencies.--The 
        Secretary shall make available such materials and resources to 
        State educational agencies to distribute--
                    ``(A) to school administrators, educators, school 
                health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, 
                caregivers, and other appropriate individuals, the 
                information developed under subsection (a)(1);
                    ``(B) to parents, guardians, or other caregivers, 
                the cardiomyopathy risk assessment developed pursuant 
                to section 312B(b)(1); and
                    ``(C) to school administrators, educators, school 
                health professionals, and coaches--
                            ``(i) the guidelines described in 
                        subsection (a)(2);
                            ``(ii) the training information described 
                        in subsection (a)(3); and
                            ``(iii) the recommendations described in 
                        subsection (a)(4).
            ``(2) Dissemination to health departments and 
        professionals.--The Secretary shall make available the 
        materials and resources developed under subsection (a) to State 
        and local health departments, pediatricians, hospitals, and 
        other health professionals, such as nurses and first 
        responders.
            ``(3) Posting on website.--
                    ``(A) CDC.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary, through 
                        the Director, shall post the materials and 
                        resources developed under subsection (a) on the 
                        public Internet website of the Centers for 
                        Disease Control and Prevention.
                            ``(ii) Additional information.--The 
                        Director is encouraged to maintain on such 
                        public Internet website such additional 
                        information regarding cardiomyopathy as deemed 
                        appropriate by the Director.
                    ``(B) State educational agencies.--State 
                educational agencies are encouraged to create public 
                Internet webpages dedicated to cardiomyopathy and post 
                the materials and resources developed under subsection 
                (a) on such webpages.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `cardiomyopathy' means a heart disease that 
        affects the heart's muscle (myocardium)--
                    ``(A) the symptoms of which may vary from case to 
                case, including--
                            ``(i) cases in which no symptoms are 
                        present (asymptomatic); and
                            ``(ii) cases in which there are symptoms of 
                        a progressive condition that may result from an 
                        impaired ability of the heart to pump blood, 
                        such as fatigue, irregular heartbeats 
                        (arrhythmia), heart failure, and, potentially, 
                        sudden cardiac death; and
                    ``(B) the recognized types of which include 
                dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic 
                right ventricular dysplasia, and left ventricular non-
                compaction.
            ``(2) The term `Director' means the Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.
            ``(3) The terms `early childhood education program', 
        `elementary school', and `secondary school' have the meanings 
        given to those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(4) The term `school administrator' means a principal, 
        director, manager, or other supervisor or leader within an 
        elementary school, secondary school, State-based early 
        childhood education program, or child care center.
            ``(5) The term `school health professional' means a health 
        professional serving at an elementary school, secondary school, 
        State-based early childhood education program, or child care 
        center.

``SEC. 312B. ACTIVITIES RELATING TO CARDIOMYOPATHY.

    ``(a) Report on CDC National Cardiomyopathy Activities.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary, 
        acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention, shall submit to Congress a report on findings 
        generated from existing activities conducted by the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention to improve the understanding of 
        the prevalence and epidemiology of cardiomyopathy across the 
        lifespan, from birth to adulthood, with particular interest in 
        the following:
                    ``(A) The natural history of individuals with 
                cardiomyopathy, in both the pediatric and adult 
                population.
                    ``(B) Estimates of cardiomyopathy-related emergency 
                department visits and hospitalizations, in both the 
                pediatric and adult population.
            ``(2) Public access.--Subject to paragraph (3), the report 
        submitted under this subsection shall be made available to the 
        public.
            ``(3) Privacy protections.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        this subsection is carried out in a manner that complies with 
        all applicable privacy laws under Federal and State law.
    ``(b) Improving Risk Assessments for Individuals With 
Cardiomyopathy.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and make 
        publicly available a cardiomyopathy risk assessment for health 
        care providers and individuals. Such risk assessment shall, at 
        a minimum, include the following:
                    ``(A) Background information on the prevalence, 
                incidence, and health impact of cardiomyopathy, 
                including all forms of cardiomyopathy and their effects 
                on pediatric, adolescent, and adult individuals.
                    ``(B) A worksheet with variables and conditions for 
                an individual or health care provider to use in 
                assessing whether an individual is at risk for 
                cardiomyopathy.
                    ``(C) A worksheet with variables and stages of 
                progression for an individual or health care provider 
                to use in assessing whether and to what extent 
                cardiomyopathy has progressed in an individual.
                    ``(D) Guidelines on cardiomyopathy screenings for 
                individuals who are at risk for, or have a family 
                history of, cardiomyopathy.
            ``(2) Stakeholder input.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
        shall seek input from external stakeholders including--
                    ``(A) representatives from national patient 
                advocacy organizations expert in all forms of 
                cardiomyopathy;
                    ``(B) representatives from medical professional 
                societies that specialize in the care of adults and 
                pediatrics with cardiomyopathy; and
                    ``(C) representatives from other relevant Federal 
                agencies.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `cardiomyopathy' has 
the meaning given to such term in section 312A.

``SEC. 312C. CARDIOMYOPATHY RESEARCH.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Director 
of the National Institutes of Health, may expand and coordinate 
research and related activities of the National Institutes of Health 
with respect to cardiomyopathy, which may include research with respect 
to--
            ``(1) causation of cardiomyopathy, including genetic causes 
        and molecular biomarkers;
            ``(2) long-term health outcomes in individuals with 
        cardiomyopathy, including infants, children, teenagers, adults, 
        and elderly individuals; and
            ``(3) studies using longitudinal data and retrospective 
        analysis to identify effective treatments and outcomes for 
        individuals with cardiomyopathy.
    ``(b) Nonduplication.--The Secretary shall ensure that any research 
and activities related to cardiomyopathy under this section do not 
unnecessarily duplicate activities, programs, or efforts of other 
agencies and offices within the Department of Health and Human 
Services.
    ``(c) NIH Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Director of the National Institutes of Health, shall submit to 
Congress a report--
            ``(1) outlining the ongoing research efforts of the 
        National Institutes of Health regarding cardiomyopathy; and
            ``(2) identifying--
                    ``(A) a research agenda regarding adult forms of 
                cardiomyopathy;
                    ``(B) plans for researching cardiomyopathy 
                affecting the pediatric population; and
                    ``(C) the areas of greatest need for such research.
    ``(d) Cardiomyopathy Defined.--In this section, the term 
`cardiomyopathy' has the meaning given to such term in section 312A.

``SEC. 312D. PROMOTING STUDENT ACCESS TO AEDS AND CPR.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to eligible 
entities to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote 
student access to automated external defibrillators (in this section 
referred to as `AEDs') and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (in this 
section referred to as `CPR') in public elementary schools and 
secondary schools.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under 
subsection (a) may use funds received through such grant to carry out 
any of the following activities:
            ``(1) Developing and providing comprehensive materials to 
        establish AED and CPR programs in public elementary schools and 
        secondary 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 
        response plan within such schools.
            ``(4) Purchasing AEDs that have been approved under section 
        515 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, cleared under 
        section 510(k) of such Act, or classified under section 
        513(f)(2) of such Act.
            ``(5) Purchasing necessary AED batteries and performing 
        necessary AED maintenance (such as by replacing AED pads) in 
        accordance with the labeling of the AED involved.
            ``(6) Replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment, 
        machinery, and educational materials.
    ``(c) Eligibility; Application.--To be eligible for a grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall--
            ``(1) be a local educational agency (including a public 
        charter school operating as a local educational agency under 
        State law), in consultation with a qualified health care 
        entity; and
            ``(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
        in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may reasonably require.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) ESEA terms.--The terms `elementary school', `local 
        educational agency', and `secondary school' have the meanings 
        given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(2) Qualified health care entity.--The term `qualified 
        health care entity' means a health care entity that--
                    ``(A) is--
                            ``(i) a public entity; or
                            ``(ii) an organization that is described in 
                        section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
                        1986 and exempt from taxation under section 
                        501(a) of such Code;
                    ``(B) demonstrates an ability to develop, train, 
                and implement a comprehensive program to promote 
                student access to defibrillation in public elementary 
                and secondary schools; and
                    ``(C) is qualified in providing technical 
                assistance in AED and CPR training.''.
    (b) No Additional Funds.--No additional funds are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out sections 312A, 312B, 312C, and 312D of the 
Public Health Service Act, as inserted by subsection (a).

            Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 2024.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.
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