Booker Applauds Passage of Legislation to Help Put AEDS in Schools Across America

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) applauded the passage of the HEARTS Act, bipartisan legislation that would put more Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in schools and make CPR training more prevalent and accessible across the country. The bill, which is now headed to President Biden's desk to be signed into law, includes major provisions from Booker's Access to AEDs Act.

Booker's Access to AEDs Act promoted students' access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public elementary and secondary schools, and was combined with Congressman Frank Pallone's (D-NJ-06) Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act. The combined bill will create a grant program at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training, in addition to supporting the purchase of AEDs and the development of cardiac emergency response plans, which can more than double survival rates from cardiac arrest by empowering people nearby to dial 911, start CPR and use an AED. The HEARTS Act passed the House in September of this year and passed unanimously in the Senate last night.

"The passage of the HEARTS Act through both chambers of Congress marks a monumental step forward in ensuring that schools across America have the life-saving tools and training they need to respond to cardiac emergencies," said Senator Booker. "I am proud that the House worked with my office to include major provisions of my Access to AEDs Act so that we can save lives and ensure teachers, coaches, and students are prepared to take immediate action in an emergency. After the passage of this bill through the House, I requested it to be hotlined through the Senate and am pleased it passed unanimously and is now on its way to President Biden's desk."