Cardiac arrest survivors, families who have lost a loved one to cardiac arrest, health care providers and other volunteer advocates from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C. this week to ask their elected representatives to support a lifesaving program that will help ensure schools are equipped and ready to respond to a cardiac emergency.
Coinciding with Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, these advocates will join the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, to call on Congress to fund the HEARTS Act during the fiscal year 2026 appropriations cycle. The HEARTS Act, passed unanimously and signed into law in 2024, is essential to achieving the Association's goal of creating a Nation of Lifesavers™ to double the chance of survival from cardiac arrest by 2030.
The advocates are part American Heart Association Heart Powered™, the Association's national grassroots network of people who commit their personal time to share their stories in support of public policies leading to longer, healthier lives.
"Grassroots advocates across the country played a pivotal role in the passage of the HEARTS Act last year by sharing powerful stories—both of lives saved when the chain of survival worked, and of tragic losses when it didn't," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "In a cardiac emergency, every second counts. By funding the HEARTS Act, Congress can help create a Nation of Lifesavers—where every school is ready to respond, and every student and staff member knows how to act."
Each year, more than 350,000 people in the U.S. experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Currently, only about 10% survive, often because people nearby are unprepared to intervene. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can double or even triple a person's chance of survival.
"When my son Preston collapsed from cardiac arrest during a high school basketball game, I didn't know if there was an emergency plan– or if anyone on the athletic staff felt confident enough to step in and start CPR," said Dr. Lisa Owens, American Heart Association volunteer from Newton, Mass. "No parent should have to endure the preventable loss of a child. By funding the HEARTS Act, Congress can help ensure schools nationwide are prepared to save lives."
An estimated 23,000 children under age 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital annually, with approximately 40% of those incidents occurring during sports. In schools equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), survival rates for children reach nearly 70%—seven times the overall survival rate for cardiac arrest.
"When I saw a member of the opposing team collapse, there was no time to think, only to act," said American Heart Association volunteer Magnus Miller, 18, of Norman, Okla. "I had learned CPR, and that training gave me the confidence to step in and help save his life. No one should have to hesitate in a moment like that. Funding the HEARTS Act will help make sure schools are ready and students like me are empowered to save a life."
The American Heart Association encourages people nationwide to join the advocates in Washington by texting 'AED' to 46839 to urge Congress to fund this lifesaving program.
As a founding member of the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, the Association continues to champion state policies that require schools to implement cardiac emergency response plans. The HEARTS Act complements these efforts and represents a vital step toward building a culture of preparedness in every school across America.
