[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6829 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6829
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 24, 2024
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize and support the
creation and dissemination of cardiomyopathy education, awareness, and
risk assessment materials 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 Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Cardiomyopathy Health Education,
Awareness, and Research, and AED Training in the Schools Act of 2024''
or the ``HEARTS Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. CARDIOMYOPATHY HEALTH EDUCATION, AWARENESS, AND RESEARCH, AND
AED TRAINING IN SCHOOLS.
(a) Amendment.--The Public Health Service Act is amended by
inserting after section 312 (42 U.S.C. 244) the following:
``SEC. 312A. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES TO INCREASE EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS OF CARDIOMYOPATHY AMONG SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS,
EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES.
``(a) Materials and Resources.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary, in
consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, shall develop public education materials and resources to
be disseminated to school administrators, educators, school health
professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other
appropriate individuals. The materials and resources shall include--
``(1) information on the signs, symptoms, and risk factors
associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart
rhythm abnormalities that may cause sudden cardiac arrest in
children, adolescents, and young adults, including--
``(A) cardiomyopathy;
``(B) long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome,
catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia,
short QT syndrome, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome;
and
``(C) other high-risk cardiac conditions, as
determined by the Secretary;
``(2) guidelines regarding the placement of automated
external defibrillators in schools, early childhood education
programs, and child care centers;
``(3) training information on automated external
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 response plan.
``(b) Dissemination of Materials and Resources.--Not later than 30
months after the date of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the
Secretary shall disseminate the materials and resources developed under
subsection (a) in accordance with the following:
``(1) Distribution by state educational agencies.--The
Secretary shall make available such materials and resources to
State educational agencies to distribute--
``(A) to school administrators, educators, school
health professionals, coaches, families, guardians,
caregivers, and other appropriate individuals, the
information developed under subsection (a)(1);
``(B) to parents, guardians, or other caregivers,
the cardiomyopathy risk assessment developed pursuant
to section 312B(b)(1); and
``(C) to school administrators, educators, school
health professionals, and coaches--
``(i) the guidelines described in
subsection (a)(2);
``(ii) the training information described
in subsection (a)(3); and
``(iii) the recommendations described in
subsection (a)(4).
``(2) Dissemination to health departments and
professionals.--The Secretary shall make available the
materials and resources developed under subsection (a) to State
and local health departments, pediatricians, hospitals, and
other health professionals, such as nurses and first
responders.
``(3) Posting on website.--
``(A) CDC.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary, through
the Director, shall post the materials and
resources developed under subsection (a) on the
public Internet website of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
``(ii) Additional information.--The
Director is encouraged to maintain on such
public Internet website such additional
information regarding cardiomyopathy 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 resources developed under subsection
(a) on such webpages.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `cardiomyopathy' means a heart disease that
affects the heart's muscle (myocardium)--
``(A) the symptoms of which may vary from case to
case, including--
``(i) cases in which no symptoms are
present (asymptomatic); and
``(ii) 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
(arrhythmia), heart failure, and, potentially,
sudden cardiac death; and
``(B) the recognized types of which include
dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic
right ventricular dysplasia, and left ventricular non-
compaction.
``(2) The term `Director' means the Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
``(3) The terms `early childhood education program',
`elementary school', and `secondary school' have the meanings
given to those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
``(4) 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 program, or child care center.
``(5) The term `school health professional' means a health
professional serving at an elementary school, secondary school,
State-based early childhood education program, or child care
center.
``SEC. 312B. ACTIVITIES RELATING TO CARDIOMYOPATHY.
``(a) Report on CDC National Cardiomyopathy Activities.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of the enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, shall submit to Congress a report on findings
generated from existing activities conducted by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to improve the understanding of
the prevalence and epidemiology of cardiomyopathy across the
lifespan, from birth to adulthood, with particular interest in
the following:
``(A) The natural history of individuals with
cardiomyopathy, in both the pediatric and adult
population.
``(B) Estimates of cardiomyopathy-related emergency
department visits and hospitalizations, in both the
pediatric and adult population.
``(2) Public access.--Subject to paragraph (3), the report
submitted under this subsection shall be made available to the
public.
``(3) 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 Individuals With
Cardiomyopathy.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and make
publicly available a cardiomyopathy risk assessment for health
care providers and individuals. Such risk assessment shall, at
a minimum, include the following:
``(A) Background information on the prevalence,
incidence, and health impact of cardiomyopathy,
including all forms of cardiomyopathy and their effects
on pediatric, adolescent, and adult individuals.
``(B) A worksheet with variables and conditions for
an individual or health care provider to use in
assessing whether an 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 an 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 Disease 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 professional
societies that specialize in the care of adults and
pediatrics with cardiomyopathy; and
``(C) representatives from other relevant Federal
agencies.
``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `cardiomyopathy' has
the meaning given to such term in section 312A.
``SEC. 312C. CARDIOMYOPATHY RESEARCH.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Director
of the National Institutes of Health, may expand and coordinate
research and related activities of the National Institutes of Health
with respect to cardiomyopathy, which may include research with respect
to--
``(1) causation of cardiomyopathy, including genetic 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 retrospective
analysis to identify effective treatments and outcomes for
individuals with cardiomyopathy.
``(b) Nonduplication.--The Secretary shall ensure that any research
and activities related to cardiomyopathy under this section do not
unnecessarily duplicate activities, programs, or efforts of other
agencies and offices within the Department of Health and Human
Services.
``(c) NIH Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of the HEARTS Act of 2024, the Secretary, in consultation
with 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 cardiomyopathy; and
``(2) identifying--
``(A) a research agenda regarding adult forms of
cardiomyopathy;
``(B) plans for researching cardiomyopathy
affecting the pediatric population; and
``(C) the areas of greatest need for such research.
``(d) Cardiomyopathy Defined.--In this section, the term
`cardiomyopathy' has the meaning given to such term in section 312A.
``SEC. 312D. PROMOTING STUDENT ACCESS TO AEDS AND CPR.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to eligible
entities to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote
student access to automated external defibrillators (in this section
referred to as `AEDs') and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (in this
section referred to as `CPR') in public elementary schools and
secondary schools.
``(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
subsection (a) may use funds received through such grant to carry out
any of the following activities:
``(1) Developing and providing comprehensive materials to
establish AED and CPR programs in public elementary schools and
secondary 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
response plan within such schools.
``(4) Purchasing AEDs that have been approved under section
515 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, cleared under
section 510(k) of such Act, or classified under section
513(f)(2) of such Act.
``(5) Purchasing necessary AED batteries and performing
necessary AED maintenance (such as by replacing AED pads) in
accordance with the labeling of the AED involved.
``(6) Replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment,
machinery, and educational materials.
``(c) Eligibility; Application.--To be eligible for a grant under
subsection (a), an entity shall--
``(1) be a local educational agency (including a public
charter school operating as a local educational agency under
State law), in consultation with a qualified health care
entity; and
``(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may reasonably require.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) ESEA terms.--The terms `elementary school', `local
educational agency', and `secondary school' have the meanings
given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
``(2) Qualified health care entity.--The term `qualified
health care entity' means a health care entity that--
``(A) is--
``(i) a public entity; or
``(ii) an organization that is described in
section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 and exempt from taxation under section
501(a) of such Code;
``(B) demonstrates an ability to develop, train,
and implement a comprehensive program to promote
student access to defibrillation in public elementary
and secondary schools; and
``(C) is qualified in providing technical
assistance in AED and CPR training.''.
(b) No Additional Funds.--No additional funds are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out sections 312A, 312B, 312C, and 312D of the
Public Health Service Act, as inserted by subsection (a).
Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 2024.
Attest:
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,
Clerk.