Senate confirms Erica Schwartz

Dr. Erica Schwartz now has the job that public health officials, lawmakers and agency staff had been waiting nearly a year to see filled: Senate-confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Senate voted 51-44 on Wednesday, August 5, to confirm Schwartz, giving the CDC its first permanent director in about a year, according to multiple reports. The vote was mostly along party lines, and Politico reported that Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia joined Republicans in supporting her. Schwartz steps in at a moment when the CDC is dealing with leadership churn, staff losses and questions about how much independence the agency will have inside the Trump administration’s health apparatus. ### Who is Erica Schwartz, and how did she get this post? Erica Schwartz is a physician with a background in preventive medicine and federal health service. Reuters, CNBC and other outlets identified her as President Donald Trump’s third pick to run the CDC. CNBC reported that Schwartz, 54, previously served as the U.S. Coast Guard’s chief medical officer from 2015 to 2019. The same report said she holds a medical degree from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Maryland. July 15 was the date of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, according to Reuters and NPR coverage of the nomination process. ### Why was the CDC without a permanent director for so long? The CDC had gone nearly a year without a Senate-confirmed chief after the departure of its previous permanent leadership, according to STAT, CNN and CBS News. Reuters and CNBC reported that Susan Monarez, Trump’s second pick for the role, was fired last year by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ABC News reported that National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya had been serving as acting CDC director since February. Schwartz now replaces that acting arrangement with a permanent appointment approved by the Senate. The confirmation also gives the administration a win after earlier failed efforts to fill senior health posts, Reuters reported. ### What kind of agency is Schwartz taking over? NPR reported that Schwartz takes command of an agency that has lost thousands of employees through layoffs, resignations and leadership turmoil. The Associated Press described the CDC as a public health agency “beleaguered” by cuts and internal disruption. The Los Angeles Times, cited in the source briefings, reported that morale at the agency had been damaged by political meddling. Axios said the confirmation did not settle concerns about whether Schwartz would be able to steer clear of political interference. STAT reported that Schwartz inherits an agency with weakened surveillance and outbreak-coordination capacity after the staffing losses and upheaval. ### What did the vote show about her support in the Senate? The Senate’s 51-44 vote showed that Schwartz had enough Republican support to clear confirmation even as skepticism persisted among Democrats and some public health observers. Politico reported that Kaine said he backed her because of her qualifications. Ars Technica reported that some senators remained unconvinced she could stand up to Kennedy on vaccine policy. That question had also surfaced during her July hearing, according to coverage from several outlets. ### What happens next at the CDC? The CDC’s next step is straightforward: Schwartz takes over the agency immediately as its confirmed director. ABC News reported that she replaces Bhattacharya in the acting role and becomes the first permanent director in about a year. The practical test will come in the agency’s day-to-day work on surveillance, outbreak response and staffing. Those issues were identified by NPR and STAT as central problems awaiting the new director as she begins leading the Atlanta-based agency.