PASTEUR Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced
Summary
Creates government contracts that pay developers between $75 million and $300 million a year to guarantee U.S. availability of critical new antimicrobials. The bill also builds national surveillance, funds stewardship programs for hospitals and outpatient clinics, and provides dedicated funding to support the whole effort.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Funding and grants for stewardship
If enacted, the government would provide $6 billion for fiscal year 2026 to run the program and related activities, with the money available until spent. Up to 6.5 percent of that money could fund health‑facility stewardship grants and an outpatient stewardship pilot. The bill would require health‑facility grants within 1 year and an outpatient pilot within 2 years, and it would require a report to Congress on the pilot within 5 years. Grants would prioritize rural, Tribal‑serving, critical access, and safety‑net hospitals and fund stewardship staffing, diagnostics, telehealth, and related activities.
Federal contracts for key antibiotics
If enacted, HHS would be able to sign long-term contracts with drug sponsors to keep important antibiotics and antifungals available in the United States. Sponsors must apply within two years of FDA approval and HHS would decide within 90 days. Approved products would get annual payments between $75 million and $300 million (CPI‑adjusted), but each payment would be reduced by the drug's net U.S. sales in the prior 12 months. Contracts would last up to 10 years unless a generic or biosimilar using the same drug is approved and marketed earlier. Sponsors would also face supply, reporting, stewardship, and manufacturing obligations starting 30 days after the first payment, and payments can stop for withdrawal or major contract breaches.
Bigger public tracking of resistance
If enacted, CDC would expand data collection on antibiotic and antifungal use and resistance across hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis, outpatient settings, and other places. CDC would collect infection types, where infections start, patient groups, resistance levels, deaths, costs, and related test and treatment data. The Secretary must start publishing these data at least annually not later than two years after enactment, with confidentiality protections and options for timelier reporting over time.
New expert advisory group
If enacted, HHS would set up a 15‑member Critical Need Antimicrobial Advisory Group within 60 days. Members would include doctors, experts, and patient advocates. Members could not receive pay from companies that develop antimicrobial drugs while serving, and the group would advise the Secretary on eligibility and program priorities.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
SD • R
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov