The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday in a 51-44 vote, ending a nearly yearlong vacancy at the nation’s top public health agency and making her the first Black woman to lead the CDC.
Schwartz becomes the third CDC director nominee since the second Trump administration took office. She replaces Susan Monarez, who was fired by the White House in August 2025 after less than one month in the role.
A retired rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Schwartz holds degrees in law and medicine. During Trump’s first administration, she served as deputy surgeon general and was responsible for standing up COVID-19 public testing drive-thrus and tents.
During her Senate confirmation hearing in July, Schwartz pledged to use “radical transparency” and told senators she would “never betray the science.” Her nomination faced scrutiny over whether she would stand up to political pressure, particularly regarding vaccine policy decisions by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Schwartz inherits a CDC facing multiple urgent public health crises. As of July 30, the United States had recorded 2,371 confirmed measles cases in 2026, marking the highest number in 35 years, according to CDC data. The outbreak has spread across more than 40 jurisdictions, with 20 percent of cases occurring in children age 5 and under.
The agency is also contending with a cyclosporiasis outbreak and other foodborne illnesses. Monarez’s predecessor had challenged vaccine directives from Kennedy before her dismissal, citing concerns about scientific integrity.
The Senate vote was largely along party lines, with one Democrat joining Republicans in supporting Schwartz’s confirmation. The committee had initially scheduled a vote on her nomination in late July but postponed it due to attendance issues before advancing her nomination on July 30.
Sources
- STAT News — Schwartz’s confirmation, the 51-44 vote, the nearly yearlong vacancy, her role during Trump’s first term, and the public health challenges she faces
- CDC — 2,371 confirmed measles cases as of July 30, 2026, and the 35-year high designation
- Reuters — Measles cases representing the highest number in 35 years
- AP News — Schwartz’s pledges to use “radical transparency” and “never betray the science”
- New York Times — Schwartz’s credentials including law and medicine degrees and her status as a retired rear admiral
- American Public Health Association — Background on Schwartz’s medical credentials and public health experience
