A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the PASTEUR Act in the U.S. senate on June 24. U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Todd Young led the introduction, alongside Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Mike Rounds, and John Hickenlooper.
The PASTEUR Act is designed to encourage innovative drug development targeting the most threatening infections, improve the appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals, and ensure domestic availability of critical antibiotics when needed.
In announcing the introduction, the senators' press release included a statement of support from AMR Action Fund CEO Henry Skinner, PhD, who said:
“The Senate’s introduction of the PASTEUR Act of 2026 is a critical step toward rekindling private investment in one of the most essential yet neglected fields of medicine. The market for antibiotics is fundamentally broken. Antimicrobial resistance harms millions of Americans each year and is rapidly eroding the foundations of modern medicine. The PASTEUR Act will help reverse that trend by creating a predictable pathway for investment, enabling the development of urgently needed antimicrobials, and ensuring every American has access to the treatments they need.”
Read the full announcement here.