Reps. Salazar, Bera Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Tuberculosis Worldwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) U.S. Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) co-chairs of the House Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus, introduced the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2026. This bipartisan legislation would strengthen U.S. efforts to prevent, diagnose, treat, and ultimately eliminate tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. A group of seven bipartisan Representatives joined as original cosponsors.

"Tuberculosis has challenged humanity for centuries. It should not define the centuries ahead," said Representative María Elvira Salazar. "TB is preventable, treatable, and curable, yet too many people still die because they cannot get a timely diagnosis or the care they need. I'm proud to co-lead the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2026 to keep America leading this fight, equip our partners with better tools, and stop a preventable disease from claiming more lives. The goal is simple: find it, treat it, and end it."

"Tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable, yet it continues to take far too many lives around the world," said Representative Ami Bera, M.D. "The End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2026 ensures the United States remains a leader in this fight by focusing on proven approaches: investing in better diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines and making sure our global health programs are accountable for results. I'm especially grateful to John Green, RESULTS, and TB advocates across the country for their tireless work to raise awareness, build support, and move us closer to ending TB once and for all."

"RESULTS is deeply grateful to Rep. Bera and Rep. Salazar for their unwavering commitment to the fight against TB, and for championing this legislation," said Dr. Joanne Carter, Executive Director of Raise Your Voice to End Poverty (RESULTS). "Communities around the world are leading the fight against TB, and we now have a range of powerful new tools ready to deploy. The U.S. government has already set bold targets for ending TB globally, and this bill provides the framework for how we actually get there. Our volunteers across the country are ready to support Congress to get this bill enacted into law."

"I'm so grateful to Rep. Bera and Rep. Salazar for advancing the fight against tuberculosis. This disease, curable since the 1950s, has been allowed to ravage the world for far too long," said John Green, TB advocate and author of the New York Times best-selling book Everything is Tuberculosis. "The End TB Now Act will help reduce the burden of a terrible global scourge."

The End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2026 modernizes U.S. global TB programs to focus resources on finding, treating, and preventing tuberculosis, particularly in countries and communities with the highest burden of the disease.

The legislation would:


• Expand access to TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, including active case finding, rapid diagnostics, treatment for drug-resistant TB, and preventive treatment for people at high risk of infection;
  
• Accelerate research and development of better tools to fight TB, including new diagnostics, drug therapies, vaccines, and other technologies, while strengthening health systems and laboratory capacity;
  
• Set clear goals and strengthen accountability for U.S. programs, including working by 2030 to reduce TB incidence by 80 percent and TB deaths by 90 percent from 2015 levels, diagnose and begin treatment for 90 percent of TB and drug-resistant TB cases, achieve a 90 percent treatment success rate, and provide preventive treatment to 30 million people; and
  
• Require annual reporting on U.S. global TB programs and investments in research and development to track progress and strengthen accountability.
  

Since 2022, Representative Salazar has led bipartisan efforts in the House of Representatives to eliminate tuberculosis. Alongside Representative Bera, Salazar introduced the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2022, which advanced through the House Foreign Affairs Committee that year. He reintroduced the legislation in 2023, when it again passed the Committee unanimously.

As a member of congress, Salazar has consistently made the case that investing in prevention, detection, and eradication efforts abroad is also an investment in the health and security of Americans at home.

Companion legislation in the Senate was introduced in the 119th Congress by Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Read the full bill text here.