Bill · S. 4875· Senate(119-S-4875)
PASTEUR Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 6/23/2026
- Last activity
- 6/23/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Michael Bennet
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The PASTEUR Act of 2026 aims to amend the Public Health Service Act to create a new program for developing innovative antimicrobial drugs. The bill allows the Secretary to enter into contracts with drug sponsors to ensure the availability of medicines targeting serious or urgent pathogens. These contracts involve annual payments ranging from $75 million to $300 million to stimulate research and development. Additionally, the act establishes a grant program for health care facilities to improve antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance. The goal is to maintain medical care standards, promote national health preparedness, and defend the United States.
Yes· 3 of 13
Does this put more money into medical research?+8
The bill provides significant funding through contracts to drive research into novel antimicrobials.
Does this make the country readier for the next outbreak?+7
The bill strengthens national health system preparedness by stimulating research into threatening pathogens.
Does this put more money into scientific research?+7
The bill creates a multi-billion dollar mechanism to fund medical research into antimicrobial drugs.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-1
The bill authorizes $6,000,000,000 in new government spending for fiscal year 2026.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill increases government spending through new drug development contracts and grant programs.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Availability of Lifesaving Medicines: The bill establishes contracts to ensure the commercial availability and sufficient supply of eligible antimicrobials in the United States (Section 399PP(a) and 399PP(e)(1)).
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Improved Patient Care Outcomes: The scoring methodology for new drugs includes points for contributions such as improved clinical outcomes for multi-drug-resistant infections, reduced toxicity, and improved dose frequency (Section 399PP(d)(2)(A)).
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Support for Health Care Facilities: A grant program will be created to help hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other institutions implement appropriate use programs and monitor resistance (Section 399PP-2(a)(1)).
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Targeted Assistance for Vulnerable Populations: Grant awards will prioritize facilities in rural areas, critical access hospitals, and those serving Tribal populations (Section 399PP-2(a)(2)).
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Enhanced Outpatient Care: A pilot program will provide grants to outpatient entities, such as urgent care settings and retail clinics, to expand antibiotic stewardship (Section 399PP-2(b)).
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Better Public Health Information: The Secretary is required to make data regarding antimicrobial resistance and use publicly available to improve monitoring of trends and patient outcomes (Section 399PP-2(c)(5)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Burden of High Payment Caps: The bill authorizes annual payments to drug sponsors of up to $300,000,000 per antimicrobial, which is adjusted annually based on the consumer price index (Section 399PP(f)(2)(A)).
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Significant Government Spending: The act authorizes $6,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to carry out these provisions (Section 399PP-4(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+6Good For Native Americans+5Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Veterans+3Good For People With Disabilities+2
- Healthcare
- Increases Research Funding+8Improves Pandemic Preparedness+7Improves Healthcare Access+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+5Improves Environmental Protections+3
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+7
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4Increases Federal Power+3
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-1Reduces National Debt-1
- 6/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Mike RoundsRepublican · South Dakota
Todd YoungRepublican · Indiana