Schwartz confirmed as CDC director despite rocky confirmation hearing
The Senate has confirmed Dr. Schwartz as the new CDC director, even though her confirmation hearing raised concerns about her readiness to challenge Health Secretary Kennedy's anti-vaccine agenda. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy provided the decisive support after private reassurances.
Schwartz has been confirmed as director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overcoming a confirmation process widely seen as difficult.
During last month's hearing, she repeatedly avoided direct answers and failed to firmly say she would push back against Kennedy's anti-vaccine and anti-science policies. When senators asked how she would handle a situation similar to the one faced by Monarez, Schwartz responded as if such a scenario had not happened and would never happen. She told Sen. Bernie Sanders she did not believe the president or the health secretary would ever do what he described, prompting him to reply: "Really?"
Health experts withdrew their endorsements after the hearing. The National Public Health Coalition, a nonprofit founded by former federal health workers, released a statement opposing her confirmation, saying the public and Congress deserve a CDC director who will follow the law, defend science, protect public health workers, and rebuild systems.
A critical vote came from Sen. Bill Cassidy, a self-described vaccine advocate who had also supported Kennedy. Cassidy called Schwartz's hearing performance "disappointing," but later said he had been reassured after speaking with her and her former colleagues. He said he was confident that she knows what she is doing.
