A Senate committee has advanced the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moving her closer to potentially leading the nation's primary public health agency.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted to advance Schwartz's nomination on Thursday, overcoming concerns previously raised about her willingness to uphold scientific integrity against political pressure.
If confirmed by the full Senate, Schwartz, 54, would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based CDC. Her qualifications include medical and law degrees, experience as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership role within the U.S. Coast Guard.
During her nomination hearing, some senators, including Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., expressed doubts about whether Schwartz would challenge political appointees, such as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., if directed to pursue actions not supported by science. Cassidy stated after the hearing that he had spoken with Schwartz and others, leading him to believe she "knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not."
However, the committee's vote was nearly along party lines, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, among those opposing the nomination. Sanders voiced concerns about having individuals in the administration with the "guts to stand up to people who are anti-science and into conspiracy theories."
The CDC has faced significant internal turmoil since the current administration took office, including the departure of over 3,000 employees, more than a quarter of its workforce, due to layoffs and resignations. The agency has seen a succession of temporary leaders, with many top positions filled by political appointees lacking public health or medical expertise.
Upon her nomination in April, public health experts expressed cautious optimism due to Schwartz's background. They also noted that she was President Trump's choice, distinct from Kennedy, who has been a vocal opponent of vaccines. While Kennedy had previously pledged not to alter the national vaccination schedule, he later sought to revise vaccine recommendations for children, efforts that were partially blocked by a federal judge.
Cassidy, a physician, had initially expressed reservations about Kennedy's appointment as health secretary. He ultimately approved Kennedy's nomination after receiving assurances that childhood vaccine recommendations would not be changed.
At her July hearing, Schwartz pledged to "never betray the science" when questioned about potential conflicts between scientific guidance and political directives. However, she reportedly declined to explicitly disavow some of Kennedy's past actions. The National Public Health Coalition, an organization of former and current CDC employees, stated that Schwartz's responses were "incomplete, vague, or missing" and called for specific written commitments on scientific independence and evidence-based policies.
Schwartz also indicated during her hearing that she was unaware of previous curtailments to CDC programs focused on smoking prevention and vaccinations. She initially demurred on committing to remove a CDC webpage that suggested a link between childhood vaccines and autism, though she later agreed that current medical evidence does not support such a link. Cassidy noted last week that the Department of Health and Human Services had modified the page, but the page continued to assert that "vaccines do not cause autism" is not an evidence-based claim.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, characterized Schwartz's performance as an attempt to appease different groups, and despite some disagreements, he supports her nomination, citing her qualifications and potential to rebuild the CDC's leadership and public trust by focusing on bipartisan issues like foodborne illness.
Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a former top CDC official who resigned in August, echoed these sentiments, warning that a failure to confirm Schwartz would result in a "continued rudderless journey for CDC." He suggested that without confirmation, Kennedy would have more time to pursue his agenda without opposition.
Schwartz is the third nominee for CDC director under the current administration. Her predecessors included Dr. David Weldon, whose Senate hearing was canceled due to insufficient support, and Susan Monarez, who was confirmed but removed from her acting role within a month due to disagreements with the president's agenda. Since Monarez's departure, the CDC has been led by a series of acting directors from the Department of Health and Human Services.