US Senate Passes HEARTS Act Inspired By Edison Student Athlete Tragedy

EDISON, NJ - The HEARTS Act, spearheaded by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) has passed the U.S. Senate. The bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House in September, now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature into law.

The HEARTS Act—formally known as the Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools Act—aims to prevent sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young people by equipping schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and providing CPR training for staff and students.

Pallone’s bill was inspired by the untimely deaths of student-athletes such as 17-year-old Kittim Sherrod of Edison, New Jersey, was crafted in collaboration with patient advocacy groups, educators, and health professionals.

Sherrod was a star athlete who died in April 2009 after going into cardiac arrest during a training run with this track team. He had an undiagnosed heart condition.

Once signed by President Biden, the legislation will establish a federal grant program to ensure schools and childcare centers have the resources they need to respond effectively to cardiac emergencies.

"This is a major step forward in protecting young lives," Pallone said in a statement. "My HEARTS Act will help schools be better prepared to act quickly in a cardiac emergency, saving lives that would otherwise be lost. Tragic losses like that of Edison’s Kittim Sherrod underscore the urgency of this effort, and I’m proud to see the Senate join us in passing this life-saving legislation. Now, I urge the President to sign it into law."

Sudden cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death among young people, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that approximately 2,000 individuals under the age of 25 die from SCA each year.

Some of the key provisions of the HEARTS Act include:

• Deployment of AEDs: Ensuring schools and childcare centers have access to life-saving devices.

• Training Requirements: Providing CPR and AED training to staff, students, and volunteers.

• Public Awareness Campaigns: Developing educational materials in collaboration with CDC to increase awareness of cardiomyopathy and SCA risks.

The HEARTS Act received widespread support, with endorsements from several organizations such as the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, and the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation.

“My grandson Kittim did not die in vain,” said Razeenah Walker, President of The Kittim N. Sherrod Foundation. “Thanks to Congressman Pallone, this legislation ensures that no other family has to endure the loss of a child from a preventable cardiac event.”

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, also advocated for the bill after his life was saved by an AED in January 2023. He emphasized the bill’s transformative potential.

The Buffalo Bills and NFL showed support for the bill.

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