CDC nominee Erica Schwartz faces bipartisan skepticism over independence at confirmation hearing

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CDC Nominee Faces Uphill Battle in Tense Confirmation Hearing

Publication date: 2026-07-15 19:55:59

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Erica Schwartz, faced a lengthy and often tense confirmation hearing on Wednesday. She appeared to fall short of securing the necessary support to take over the public health agency.

While Dr. Schwartz assured lawmakers on the U.S. Senate Committee overseeing health policy that she would “never betray the science,” she failed to win the trust of Democrats and key Republicans needed to advance her nomination.

Key Concerns from the Committee

Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) repeatedly questioned Schwartz about her ability to lead independently. He pressed her on whether she would follow the example of former CDC Director Susan Monarez, who testified last year that she was fired after refusing to pre-approve vaccine recommendations or fire career officials without cause.

“We need unbiased leaders who make decisions based upon science, not politics or ideology, and are committed to protecting children's health,” Cassidy said in his opening statement.

After more than two hours of testimony, Cassidy expressed disappointment, telling Schwartz he believed administration officials had overprepared her and that some of her answers missed the mark.

“I felt like you were always trying not to answer my question, which was disappointing,” he said.

With the committee holding a thin 12-11 Republican majority, Cassidy—or any Republican member—could effectively block Schwartz’s nomination if Democrats unite in opposition.

Restoring Trust

Schwartz, a former Navy occupational medicine physician who attained the rank of admiral and served as deputy surgeon general, testified that her priority would be rebuilding the CDC’s reputation.

“My first priority will be restoring trust in public health institutions through radical transparency and unwavering scientific integrity,” Schwartz said. “As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based.”

She pledged to “modernize the CDC into a near real-time public health enterprise” while ensuring that local, state, and tribal governments become the “operational backbone of American public health.”

In response to questions from both Democrats and Republicans on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Schwartz stated that she “accept(s) that evidence” vaccines do not cause autism. She also affirmed that mRNA vaccine “technology is safe and effective.”

Tracking Abortions

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asked Schwartz to investigate potential health implications for people living near data centers, citing frequent questions from his constituents.

Schwartz said she was unaware whether the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), housed within the CDC, had conducted research on the topic. If confirmed, she committed to working with Hawley and his staff to examine the issue.

Hawley also pressed Schwartz on ensuring the CDC collects abortion data from all states.

“The CDC collects data on abortions that are committed in the United States of America through a system called the Abortion Reporting System,” Hawley said. “This system is voluntary, and so a number of states, not coincidentally large blue states, do not turn over any data, so that it's difficult to get a picture of just how many abortions and under what circumstances are committed in this country.”

Schwartz testified she would look into the issue if confirmed, adding that “abortion surveillance is absolutely a critical component of what the CDC is currently doing.”

“But I also want to also make sure that certain states are not conflating emergency services and hiding abortions in that emergency services case definition,” she said. “We need to make sure we're pulling out true abortions and making sure that we're really having clear case definitions regarding abortions, so the data is actually accurate.”

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) questioned Schwartz about the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak and the CDC’s disease monitoring programs.

Schwartz said she believed “that one of the core missions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking outbreaks domestically and also internationally.”

When Murray asked whether there was “any scientific or medical justification for CDC having eliminated mandatory reporting of that parasite,” Schwartz said she was unaware that the Trump administration had moved to make reporting of cyclosporiasis optional last year.