I 
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. NOR-
TON, Mr. COSTA, Ms. DEAN, Ms. ROSS, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. 
JACKSON
LEE, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Mr. 
CA´RDENAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 sec-
ondary schools. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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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 malfunc-
tion 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 stu-
dent athletes. 
(5) Sports-related SCA accounted for 39 per-
cent of SCAs among children 18 years old or young-
er. 
(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. 
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(8) The American Heart Association estimates 
that 5 in 10 victims of SCA could survive if bystand-
ers gave CPR and used an AED immediately. 
(9) The chain of survival includes prompt noti-
fication of emergency services and early CPR, 
defibrillation, and advanced cardiac life support. 
(10) Health education should include basic 
emergency lifesaving skills. Incorporating these life-
saving 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 pro-
gram to promote student access to defibrillation in elemen-
tary schools and secondary schools by— 
(1) developing and providing comprehensive ma-
terials to establish AED and CPR programs in such 
schools; 
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(2) providing support for CPR and AED train-
ing 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 Ad-
ministration; 
(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 part-
nerships with and among local educational agencies, 
private schools, nonprofit organizations, public 
health organizations, emergency medical service pro-
viders, 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 ac-
cess to AEDs in elementary and secondary schools. 
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(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under 
subsection (a), a local educational agency or a private ele-
mentary or secondary school shall submit an application 
to the Secretary— 
(1) at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may rea-
sonably require; and 
(2) in partnership with a public or private non-
profit health care entity that— 
(A) demonstrates an ability to develop, 
train, and implement a comprehensive program 
to promote student access to defibrillation in el-
ementary and secondary schools; and 
(B) is qualified in providing technical as-
sistance in AED and CPR training. 
(c) CLEARINGHOUSE.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a clearinghouse database— 
(1) to collect and make available information, 
including through voluntary reporting by local edu-
cational agencies, schools, and manufacturers, relat-
ing to student access to defibrillation in elementary 
schools and secondary schools, including with respect 
to the costs of providing AEDs and CPR training; 
and 
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(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 re-
ceived 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 ex-
ternal defibrillator. 
(2) The term ‘‘CPR’’ means cardiopulmonary 
resuscitation. 
(3) The terms ‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘local edu-
cational 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). 
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