[WASHINGTON, D.C.] October 27, 2025 — Miss America 2026 Cassie Donegan joined the American Heart Association, cardiac arrest survivors, healthcare providers and advocates from across the nation on Capitol Hill to call for funding of the HEARTS Act—a bipartisan bill designed to ensure schools across the country are prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
The HEARTS Act, which passed Congress unanimously, creates a grant program that will enable schools to purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), develop Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs), and expand CPR and AED training nationwide.
During her visit, Cassie met with leaders such as Senator Charles Schumer to discuss the importance of funding this life-saving legislation.
“True change happens when people like us take that legislation and breathe life into it — in our schools, our communities, and our conversations,” Cassie shared.
Cassie’s advocacy is deeply personal. Her mother is a multi-stroke and heart attack survivor, inspiring her lifelong commitment to heart health education.
Each year, up to 23,000 U.S. children experience cardiac arrest, with student athletes at an even higher risk. In schools equipped with AEDs, 70 percent of children survive cardiac arrest—a rate seven times higher than the national average. Funding the HEARTS Act will help create a Nation of Lifesavers by expanding access to AEDs, increasing CPR education, and empowering every community to act when seconds matter.
The American Heart Association’s® Go Red for Women® (GRFW) movement serves as the national health thought leader for Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation Inc. (MASF), providing a platform to advance heart health awareness and education nationwide.
“Together, we can ensure every young person grows up not only knowing how to save a life but believing their voice, their action, and their hearts can change the world.”
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About Miss America
Miss America is the nation’s premier empowerment platform for young women, with service to community at the core of its impact. Participants pursue personal and professional growth while inspiring others as positive role models. With its mission of Empowering Women to Lead, Miss America is also the largest provider of tuition scholarships for women in the United States, distributed through the Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization.