House of Representatives Passes HEARTS Act, Inspired After Sudden Death of Edison High School Athlete

EDISON, NJ - The US House of Representatives passed the Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act on Monday, a bill that prepares schools to handle life-threatening cardiac emergencies. The bill was authored by Congressman Frank Pallone in response to the rise of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) incidents among young people, particularly student-athletes.

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Congressman Frank Pallone unveiled the bill at Edison High School earlier this year. In 2009, an Edison High School student and football star, Kittim Sherrod, died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after going into sudden cardiac arrest during track and field practice. He was 17-years-old.

"The HEARTS Act will raise awareness about the causes of sudden cardiac arrest and ensure schools are more prepared to deal with cardiac emergencies so we can save lives. This legislation has the support of the American Heart Association and the Smart Heart Coalition, among others. We cannot afford to delay—this is about saving young lives, said Congressman Pallone.

The aim of the HEARTS act is to raise awareness of cardiomyopathy, a symptom which causes cardiac arrest. Cardiomyopathy commonly affects younger people, especially student athletes, according to Congressman Pallone. An estimated 2,000 young people under the age of 25 die each year of sudden cardiac arrest, according to the CDC.

The HEARTS Act ensures that schools across the country are equipped with life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs), Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs), and CPR training for both staff and students.

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The bill provides schools, parents, and nurses with more information about cardiomyopathy including symptoms, treatments, and life-saving procedures. It encourages schools to be aware and prepared for a cardiac emergency and prompt families to be aware of any history of heart disease.

“Having a cardiac emergency response plan in place and people nearby who know what to do can be the difference between life and death for the more than 350,000 people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year,” said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association, “The HEARTS Act will help improve the safety of our schools and playing fields and we urge the Senate to quickly follow the House to make this policy the law of the land.”

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