Key Takeaways
- The Senate voted 51 to 44 to approve Dr. Erica G. Schwartz’s nomination to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- She becomes the first Black woman to serve as director and the agency’s 22nd overall leader.
- Her confirmation follows months of interim leadership at the nation’s top public health agency.
After months of leadership changes, the CDC has a new director. On Wednesday (Aug. 5), the Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Atlanta-based public health agency in a 51-44 vote that largely fell along party lines, according to NBC News.
Schwartz becomes the first Black woman to lead the CDC and its 22nd director overall. According to NBC News, most Republicans supported her nomination, while Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was the only Democrat to vote in favor.
The physician seems to be stepping into the role at a critical time for the agency. According to NBC News, she will oversee the nation's public health response, including vaccine recommendations and efforts to contain disease outbreaks. She also reportedly inherits ongoing public health concerns, including a rise in measles cases, a cyclosporiasis outbreak and growing vaccine hesitancy.
During her confirmation hearing last month, the Brown University graduate reportedly emphasized her commitment to evidence-based public health guidance, telling senators, "As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based. I will never betray the science."
Dr. Erica Schwartz brings decades of military and public health experience to the CDC
Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during President Donald Trump's first administration. NBC News noted that she also worked as a Navy physician and later became chief medical officer for the U.S. Coast Guard. Her résumé includes medical and law degrees along with leadership experience in both military and federal health settings, per AP News.
Her nomination drew mixed reactions throughout the confirmation process. AP News reported that some lawmakers and public health organizations questioned whether she would challenge directives they believed were unsupported by science, while others pointed to her professional background as a reason for confidence in her leadership.
As the CDC's first Black woman director, Schwartz takes the helm of one of the nation's most influential public health agencies at a time when its leadership and decision-making remain under close scrutiny.