I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6829 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize and support the creation 
and dissemination of cardiomyopathy education, awareness, and risk as-
sessment materials and resources to identify more at-risk families, to 
authorize research and surveillance activities relating to cardiomyopathy, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 14, 2023 
Mr. PALLONE (for himself and Mr. KIM of New Jersey) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize and 
support the creation and dissemination of cardio-
myopathy education, awareness, and risk assessment ma-
terials 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cardiomyopathy 
Health Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in 
the Schools Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘HEARTS Act of 2023’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES TO INCREASE EDU-
CATION 
AND 
AWARENESS 
OF 
CARDIO-
MYOPATHY AMONG SCHOOL ADMINISTRA-
TORS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES. 
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 399V–8. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES TO INCREASE 
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF CARDIO-
MYOPATHY AMONG SCHOOL ADMINISTRA-
TORS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES. 
‘‘(a) MATERIALS AND RESOURCES.—Not later than 
18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, 
the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘Director’) shall develop public edu-
cation materials and resources to be disseminated to 
school administrators, educators, school health profes-
sionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other 
appropriate individuals. The materials and resources shall 
include— 
‘‘(1) background information to increase edu-
cation and awareness of cardiomyopathy; 
‘‘(2) guidelines regarding the placement of 
automated external defibrillators in schools, early 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
childhood education programs, and child care cen-
ters; 
‘‘(3) training information on automated exter-
nal 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 re-
sponse plan. 
‘‘(b) DISSEMINATION
OF
MATERIALS
AND
RE-
SOURCES.—Not later than 30 months after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall dissemi-
nate the materials and resources developed under sub-
section (a) in accordance with the following: 
‘‘(1) DISTRIBUTION
BY
STATE
EDUCATIONAL 
AGENCIES.—The Secretary shall make available such 
materials and resources to State educational agen-
cies to distribute— 
‘‘(A) to school administrators, educators, 
school health professionals, coaches, families, 
guardians, caregivers, and other appropriate in-
dividuals, the background materials developed 
under subsection (a)(1); 
‘‘(B) to parents, guardians, or other care-
givers, the risk assessment for individuals with 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
or at risk for cardiomyopathy developed pursu-
ant to section 399V–9(b)(1); and 
‘‘(C) to school administrators, educators, 
school health professionals, and coaches— 
‘‘(i) the guidelines described in sub-
section (a)(2); 
‘‘(ii) the training information de-
scribed in subsection (a)(3); and 
‘‘(iii) the recommendations described 
in subsection (a)(4). 
‘‘(2) DISSEMINATION
TO
HEALTH
DEPART-
MENTS AND PROFESSIONALS.—The Secretary shall 
make available the materials and resources devel-
oped under subsection (a) to State and local health 
departments, pediatricians, hospitals, and other 
health professionals, such as nurses and first re-
sponders. 
‘‘(3) POSTING ON WEBSITE.— 
‘‘(A) CDC.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, 
through the Director, shall post the mate-
rials and resources developed under sub-
section (a) on the public Internet website 
of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.— 
The Director is encouraged to maintain on 
such public Internet website such addi-
tional 
information 
regarding 
cardio-
myopathy 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 re-
sources developed under subsection (a) on such 
webpages. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) 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 pro-
gram, or child care center. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘school health professional’ 
means a health professional serving at an elemen-
tary school, secondary school, State-based early 
childhood education program, or child care center. 
‘‘(3) The terms ‘early childhood education pro-
gram’, ‘elementary school’, and ‘secondary school’ 
have the meanings given to those terms in section 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘cardiomyopathy’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 399V–9(c). 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
carrying out this section and section 399V–9, there is au-
thorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2028.’’. 
SEC. 3. RESEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES RELAT-
ING TO CARDIOMYOPATHY. 
(a) CDC RESEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE.—Part P 
of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.), as amended by section 2, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 399V–9. RESEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES 
RELATING TO CARDIOMYOPATHY. 
‘‘(a) 
REPORTS
ON
CDC 
NATIONAL
CARDIO-
MYOPATHY SURVEILLANCE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than June 1, 
2024, the Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
shall submit to Congress an initial report on find-
ings and data generated from surveillance and re-
search activities conducted by the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention to improve the under-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
standing of the prevalence and epidemiology of car-
diomyopathy across the lifespan, from birth to adult-
hood, with particular interest in the following: 
‘‘(A) The health care costs, utilization, and 
natural history of individuals with cardio-
myopathy, in both the pediatric and adult popu-
lation. 
‘‘(B) Estimates of cardiomyopathy-related 
emergency department visits and hospitaliza-
tions, in both the pediatric and adult popu-
lation. 
‘‘(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than January 
1, 2029, the Secretary, acting through the Director 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
shall submit to Congress a final report on the con-
tent described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) PUBLIC
ACCESS.—Subject to paragraph 
(4), the reports submitted under this subsection 
shall be made available to the public. 
‘‘(4) 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 INDIVID-
UALS WITH CARDIOMYOPATHY.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
and make publicly available a risk assessment for in-
dividuals with or at risk for cardiomyopathy. Such 
risk assessment shall, at a minimum, include the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Background information of the preva-
lence, incidence, and health impact of cardio-
myopathy, including all forms of cardio-
myopathy and their effects on pediatric, adoles-
cent, and adult individuals. 
‘‘(B) A worksheet with variables and con-
ditions for an individual or health care provider 
to use in assessing whether the 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 
the 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 Dis-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
ease 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 profes-
sional societies that specialize in the care of 
adults and pediatrics with cardiomyopathy; and 
‘‘(C) representatives from other relevant 
Federal agencies. 
‘‘(c) CARDIOMYOPATHY DEFINED.—For purposes of 
this section, the term ‘cardiomyopathy’ means a heart dis-
ease that affects the heart’s muscle (myocardium)— 
‘‘(1) the symptoms of which may vary from 
case to case, including— 
‘‘(A) cases in which no symptoms are 
present (asymptomatic); and 
‘‘(B) 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 (arrhyth-
mia), heart failure, and, potentially, sudden car-
diac death; and 
‘‘(2) the recognized types of which include di-
lated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic right 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
ventricular dysplasia, and left ventricular non-com-
paction.’’. 
(b) NIH RESEARCH.—Part A of title IV of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 404E the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 404F. CARDIOMYOPATHY RESEARCH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of NIH may ex-
pand, intensify, and coordinate research and related activi-
ties of the National Institutes of Health with respect to 
cardiomyopathy, which may include research with respect 
to— 
‘‘(1) causation of cardiomyopathy, including ge-
netic 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 retro-
spective analysis to identify effective treatments and 
outcomes for individuals with cardiomyopathy. 
‘‘(b) CARDIOMYOPATHY DEFINED.—For purposes of 
this section, the term ‘cardiomyopathy’ means a heart dis-
ease that affects the heart’s muscle (myocardium)— 
‘‘(1) the symptoms of which may vary from 
case to case, including— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) cases in which no symptoms are 
present (asymptomatic); and 
‘‘(B) 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 (arrhyth-
mia), heart failure, and, potentially, sudden car-
diac death; and 
‘‘(2) the recognized types of which include di-
lated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic right 
ventricular dysplasia, and left ventricular non-com-
paction.’’. 
(c) NIH REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, 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 cardio-
myopathy; and 
(2) identifying— 
(A) a research agenda regarding adult 
forms of cardiomyopathy; 
(B) plans for researching cardiomyopathy 
affecting the pediatric population; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(C) the areas of greatest need for such re-
search. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:23 Jan 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6829.IH
H6829
ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS