{"id":29215,"date":"2026-08-06T01:26:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29215"},"modified":"2026-08-06T01:26:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:26:36","slug":"senate-confirms-dr-erica-schwartz-as-cdc-director-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29215","title":{"rendered":"Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-137526\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 5061;&#10;        --source-height: 3587;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x3587+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Dr. Erica Schwartz, who appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July, was confirmed Wednesday as CDC director.\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Dr. Erica Schwartz, who appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July, was confirmed Wednesday as CDC director.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Finn Gomez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Finn Gomez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly a year after the last permanent director was fired in a dispute over vaccine policy with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5920379-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5760832\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/03\/25\/nx-s1-5760832\/cdc-turmoil-director\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/nx-s1-5760832\\\/cdc-turmoil-director&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3217x3217+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Ffe%2F2e792c134342a4ca929ae6f27e39%2Fap26042750647800.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, will continue to also oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while the administration searches for a permanent director.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5920379-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>The vote on Schwartz&#8217;s nomination was 51-44 in favor.<\/p>\n<p>She will take command of a public health agency that has lost thousands of employees in the second Trump administration amid layoffs, resignations and leadership shakeups. <\/p>\n<p>The CDC is currently responding to surges in measles cases, cyclosporiasis outbreaks and an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.<\/p>\n<p>In a July confirmation hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy led some Republicans in hard questions about vaccines and whether she would support their use if pressured by Kennedy. <\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Cassidy ultimately voted to advance her nomination out of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after she allayed his concerns. He also voted in favor of confirmation.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After speaking with Dr. Schwartz again after the hearing, reviewing the transcript and speaking to those who served with her and know her well, I&#8217;m confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not,&#8221; Cassidy said on July 23.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and ranking member on the health committee, voted against her advancement out of committee and against her nomination on the Senate floor Wednesday. <\/p>\n<p>While Sanders said he was impressed by Schwartz&#8217;s credentials and service, he did not think she was prepared to stand up to Kennedy&#8217;s false statements on vaccines and other health topics. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think the American people are owed better than what President Trump has nominated,&#8221; Sanders said on July 30.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a former CDC official who resigned last August, said Schwartz has her work cut out for her. &#8220;I really wish her luck in her new role,&#8221; he told NPR . &#8220;But I would also say, it&#8217;s not about the job, it&#8217;s about the public health mission. And that needs to be her focus.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. Erica Schwartz, who appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July, was confirmed Wednesday as CDC director. Finn Gomez\/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Finn Gomez\/Getty Images The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly a year after the last&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5061x2847+0+370\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F79%2F039d749d4a7eb1f8ad935afe23ad%2Fgettyimages-2286228683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29215\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}