Access to AEDs Act
Bill: H.R.6523 | Sponsor: Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. (D-FL)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
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.

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.
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