Senate Omits Funding for the HEARTS Act in FY 2026 Labor‑HHS‑Education Appropriations Bill

Late last month the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations legislation. While the bill includes increases for key health programs like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it notably does not include any specific funding for implementation of the HEARTS Act, legislation passed in late 2024 designed to expand CPR training, AED access, and cardiac research in schools and communities.

 

The bipartisan HEARTS Act (Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act) was enacted to authorize federal grants supporting the installation of AEDs in schools, funding for CPR education, and development of educational materials by CDC. Although the Senate bill proposes $48.7 billion for NIH—a $400 million increase over FY 2025—the additional funds are not allocated to HEARTS Act programming.

 

The House has yet to begin work on their version of the LHHS appropriations bill, but are expected to take it up on return from their congressional recess in September.

 

Over the coming weeks, we will intensify our outreach to Senate appropriators and conference negotiators, urging funding for the HEARTS Act in the final FY 2026 package. Our message is clear: Congress passed the HEARTS Act to save lives. Funding is the next—and essential—step.