Yesterday, in Washington, DC, End Sepsis Team joined Congressman Tom Kean Jr.  alongside sepsis survivors to mark an important step forward in the national fight against sepsis. Sepsis Survivor, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and  Congressman Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) introduced the SEPSIS (Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems and Initiatives for Sepsis ) Act, bipartisan legislation designed to strengthen how our country prevents, recognizes, and treats sepsis. This is Companion to the Bi-partisan legislation for the Sepsis Act S.1929 that was recently introduced in the United States Senate By Senators Schumer D-NY, Kim-NJ and Collins R-ME

This is exactly what progress looks like: leaders from both parties coming together, listening to survivors and families, and taking action to reduce preventable deaths.

Why This Matters

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to infection. It can escalate quickly and become life-threatening without timely recognition and treatment. Each year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States develop sepsis, and it kills hundreds of thousands of Americans annually.

Congressman Norcross knows this firsthand. In April 2025, he was hospitalized with a gallbladder infection that progressed to sepsis. His recovery highlights what is possible when sepsis is recognized and treated in time, and why it is so urgent that every patient has that same chance.

As Congressman Kean said in the announcement, “Sepsis can impact anyone – young or old, sick or healthy – and preventing deaths depends on early recognition and timely intervention”.

What happens next, and how you can help

Introducing the SEPSIS Act is a critical step, but passing it will require continued urgency and public support.

If you are a sepsis survivor, caregiver, clinician, or advocate, your voice can make the difference. Contact your members of Congress and tell them why the SEPSIS Act matters, and why sepsis must be treated as the medical emergency it is.  We made it easy to Take Action. Click THIS link.

You can also help by sharing your story, sharing trusted sepsis education, and encouraging others to recognize the warning signs and seek care quickly when someone is getting worse instead of better.

Together, we can make early recognition, timely treatment, and accountability the national standard.