For Immediate Release: October 17, 2008

Rep. Sutton to Receive First-Ever “Public Leadership” Award From Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-OH) has been selected as the first recipient of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association's (SCAA) "Public Leadership" award. The SCAA is dedicated to promoting solutions to prevent sudden cardiac arrest, and is comprised of survivors, health professionals, scientists and health advocates. They aim to stop all preventable deaths from Sudden Cardiac Arrest by 2020. The SCAA will honor Congresswoman Sutton on Saturday, October 18 for her leadership on bringing lifesaving Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) to schools across the country.

On June 9, 2008, Congresswoman Sutton passed H.R. 4926 the Josh Miller HEARTS (Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools) Act through the House of Representatives. This legislation will establish a grant program through the Department of Education that will provide schools with funds for lifesaving AEDs and AED/CPR training. The legislation is modeled on the successful School AED Program recently completed in the state of Ohio, which has already saved 13 lives.

H.R. 4926 is named in memory of Josh Miller, a 15-year-old student from Sutton's hometown of Barberton, Ohio. Josh suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during the final game of the 2000 Barberton High School football season, but by the time his heart was shocked with an AED, it was too late to save him. The Josh Miller HEARTS Act will help prevent such tragedies.

"I am honored to receive this award from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association. Today is truly a time to remember everyone who might have been saved by an AED and to celebrate the lives of those who are with us today because of these devices. AEDs prevent needless deaths of people young and old in communities across the country. I will continue to fight to ensure that they are available in our schools to save even more lives in the years to come," said Congresswoman Sutton.

In honoring the Congresswoman, the SCAA praised her for her leadership on this important issue.

"Congresswoman Sutton has worked tirelessly to elevate the issue of sudden cardiac arrest awareness and specifically, the importance of having AEDs in schools. As community centers and gathering spots, schools are a natural location to place AEDs to protect students, staff and visitors," said Chris Chiames, Executive Director of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association. "We appreciate her efforts to enact the Josh Miller HEARTS Act and will be working with her to ensure that the Senate follows the House's lead and passes this critical legislation."

The Josh Miller Hearts Act has now been introduced in the Senate by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Once the legislation passes the Senate, it will go to the President to be signed into law, ensuring that people across the country have access to these crucial devices.

Contact: Erin Donar at 202-225-3401 or Erin.Donar@mail.house.gov