Posted on 04/05/2011

Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) today introduced the "Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2011," or the Josh Miller HEARTS Act (H.R. 1377), a grant program for placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools. The bill calls for the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies to purchase AEDs for use in elementary and secondary schools and to provide training. To be eligible, local educational agencies would have to raise at least 25 percent of program costs through other non-Federal sources. Schools that do not already have an AED on school grounds or have not received funds through the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act will be considered the highest priority. The bill also calls for appropriations to support the program for fiscal years 2012 through 2017.

"We applaud Rep. Sutton for taking the lead in making schools safe for students, teachers and visitors alike," said Mary Newman, President of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and co-chair of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition. "This act is a lifesaver," she said.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) plans to introduce a similar measure in the Senate.

Share