During Christmas Week, Biden Signs Pallone’s HEARTS Act Into Law

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) celebrated the Christmas week signing of his HEARTS Act into law, likening the moment to a scene from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. With this life-saving legislation now in place.

“Just like the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes that day, this Christmas brought a moment of true heartwarming change,” Pallone said. “The HEARTS Act is about saving lives and equipping schools to act in cardiac emergencies. It’s a gift of safety and hope that will protect young people for years to come.”

The HEARTS Act—formally known as the Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools Act—establishes a federal grant program to provide automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training to schools and childcare centers. Inspired by the tragic loss of student-athletes like Kittim Sherrod of Edison, New Jersey, the legislation ensures schools are prepared to respond to sudden cardiac emergencies, which claim the lives of approximately 2,000 young people annually.

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: Partnering with the CDC to educate the public about cardiomyopathy and SCA risks.

The HEARTS Act received widespread bipartisan support and endorsements from organizations such as the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, whose life was saved earlier this year by an AED.