ACC President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on April 9, urging lawmakers to allocate full funding for the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act.

Passed by Congress last year with near-unanimous support, the legislation ensures that public elementary and secondary schools in the U.S. can develop cardiac emergency response plans, provide CPR and AED training to staff and have AEDs available on school property. In his testimony, Kramer highlighted how the law benefits all community members.

"While student athletes are the original focus of this bill, its benefits extend into the communities around them," he said. "Schools are a gathering point, a cornerstone in American public life. Having an AED nearby helps protect every person passing through a school setting, whether they are students, parents, educators or seniors."

The ACC is urging members of the Subcommittee to provide full funding for the HEARTS Act in fiscal year 2026, which would include:

• $25 million for grants to help schools purchase AEDs and develop cardiac emergency response plans.
• $5 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop risk assessments and distribute educational materials to schools and families about conditions that lead to cardiac arrest in youth.
• $20 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct cardiomyopathy research.

Kramer also took this opportunity to reemphasize the value of investment in NIH research, describing the impact that NIH-funded projects have had in advancing the prevention, treatment and management of heart conditions. Considering the HEARTS Act "a worthy and impactful addition" to the country's leadership in medical research and progress, he called on lawmakers to provide the funding needed to make the resources promised by this law a reality.

"The HEARTS Act was passed by Congress with the unity and urgency this issue deserves," Kramer said. "Now, with your support, we can ensure effective nationwide implementation, protecting and investing in the health and safety of our communities."

Read Kramer's full testimony.

Clinical Topics: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies

Keywords: Biomedical Research, Schools, ACC Advocacy, Cardiomyopathies