SEPSIS Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7116
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-15: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T08:08:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The SEPSIS Act aims to reduce sepsis rates in the United States by establishing federal programs focused on education, data collection, quality improvement, and recognition of effective hospital practices. Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection that can lead to organ failure. The bill highlights the high annual incidence (1.7 million cases), mortality (350,000 deaths), costs, and preventability of most fatalities through early detection and treatment, drawing inspiration from successful state-level protocols like New York's "Rory's Regulations."
Key Provisions
- Sepsis Team at CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director must maintain a dedicated team to:
- Lead an education campaign on hospital best practices for sepsis, based on the CDC's Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements (a set of guidelines for early recognition and treatment).
- Enhance data collection specifically on pediatric (child) sepsis cases.
- Share information with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop and implement quality measures that improve patient outcomes.
- Update sepsis-related data standards in the United States Core Data for Interoperability (a framework for sharing health information electronically), in coordination with other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offices.
- Support the development of outcome measures (ways to track treatment success) for sepsis across HHS.
- Conduct other sepsis-related activities as needed.
- Report on Outcome Measures: Within one year of enactment, the CDC Director must submit a report to Senate and House committees on developing and implementing sepsis outcome measures for adults and children, considering social and clinical risk factors (e.g., socioeconomic status or underlying health conditions).
- Annual Briefings to Congress: Starting one year after enactment and annually thereafter, the CDC Director must brief relevant congressional committees on:
- Hospital adoption of sepsis best practices, using CDC tools and state reporting.
- Pediatric sepsis rates and reduction efforts, including the role of Core Elements.
- Coordination of sepsis initiatives across HHS.
- Evaluation (with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) of Core Elements' impact on patient care quality.
- Data sharing from the National Healthcare Safety Network (a CDC surveillance system for healthcare-associated infections).
- Latest sepsis datasets from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
- Voluntary Honor Roll Program: HHS Secretary may create a program to recognize hospitals excelling in sepsis programs, focusing on early detection, effective treatment, and overall burden reduction. This involves soliciting hospital applications and setting public benchmarks for selection.
- Funding: Authorizes $20 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to implement these programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill amends Title III of the Public Health Service Act (a key federal law governing public health programs) by inserting a new Section 317W. This adds dedicated sepsis initiatives to the CDC's mandate, which previously lacked a specific, coordinated federal focus on sepsis prevention and data. It builds on existing CDC efforts (e.g., Core Elements and surveillance systems) but introduces new requirements for reporting, interagency coordination, and hospital recognition, without altering broader infection control laws.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload and coordination for CDC, CMS, HHS offices (e.g., Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, potentially improving data-driven public health responses. Annual briefings enhance congressional oversight of sepsis efforts.
- Citizens: Could lead to fewer preventable sepsis deaths (especially among children), reduced hospital readmissions (currently 1 in 5 within 30 days), and lower treatment costs (sepsis is among the most expensive hospital conditions). Early recognition outside hospitals (where 80% of cases start) may benefit vulnerable populations, including those with limited access to care.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill is focused on domestic public health.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Healthcare Providers and Hospitals: Must adopt best practices and report data; eligible for recognition through the Honor Roll, incentivizing improvements.
- Patients and Families: Particularly those at risk of sepsis (e.g., children, immunocompromised individuals), who stand to gain from better prevention and treatment.
- Infectious Disease Workforce: Benefits from support for recruitment and retention to address infection prevention.
- Federal Agencies: CDC, HHS, and CMS as primary implementers; Congress for oversight.
- Researchers and Public Health Experts: Gain from enhanced federal investment in sepsis research, including pediatric focus.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Mandates specific actions (e.g., reports, briefings) with authorized funding, enforceable through congressional appropriations. The voluntary Honor Roll avoids regulatory burdens on hospitals but could influence future quality standards under Medicare/Medicaid.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate public health and interstate commerce (e.g., hospital funding and disease control); no apparent conflicts with federalism, as it encourages state-level adoption without mandates.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Norcross and Kean) emphasizes preventable deaths, potentially building support for public health funding. It promotes evidence-based policies inspired by state successes, but implementation depends on annual appropriations, which could face budget debates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-15: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-01-15: Introduced in House
- 2026-01-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems, and Initiatives for Sepsis Act — issued 2026-01-15 — PDF (7 pages)