Senate Confirms Erica Schwartz As CDC Director As Vaccine-Autism Webpage Is Amended
The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in a 51-44 vote.[1]
Schwartz, 54, becomes the agency's 22nd director and the first Senate-confirmed CDC leader in nearly a year.[1] She holds medical, law and public-health degrees and has served as deputy surgeon general and in senior leadership at the U.S. Coast Guard.[1] The agency has lost more than 3,000 employees since President Trump returned to office in 2025, leaving morale low and a front office filled with political appointees lacking public-health training.[1] As she takes over, the CDC is responding to surges in measles, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis and an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.[2]
Susan Monarez, previously confirmed as CDC director, was removed in less than a month for not aligning with the president's agenda.[1] Schwartz is the third Trump nominee for CDC director in 18 months after failed or short-lived tenures for David Weldon and Monarez.[1] Federal agencies have linked two cyclosporiasis-related deaths to iceberg lettuce amid the broader outbreak.[3]
Early coverage framed the confirmation as filling a leadership vacuum and addressing urgent public-health work.[2] But MS NOW reported a CDC webpage on possible links between vaccines and autism was slightly amended before Sen. Bill Cassidy voted to confirm Schwartz, and that the page still suggested a vaccine-autism link.[3] During her July confirmation hearing, Schwartz declined to say yes or no when Sen. Maggie Hassan asked if she would follow a hypothetical directive from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.[3] She said, "Senator, I will always, always protect our children." MS NOW Sen. Bill Cassidy had pressed Schwartz about resisting pressure from Health Secretary Kennedy but ultimately voted to advance and then confirm her, while Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against her on the floor.[2]
Former CDC official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis said Schwartz faces a difficult task and urged her to prioritize the agency's public-health mission over the job title.[2]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as CDC director by a 51–44 vote on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 (Erica Schwartz).
- Schwartz becomes the 22nd CDC director and the agency’s first Senate‑confirmed leader in nearly a year (22nd CDC director).
- Schwartz, 54, holds medical, law and public‑health degrees and has served as deputy surgeon general and in leadership at the U.S. Coast Guard (medical, law and public‑health degrees).
- The CDC has lost more than 3,000 employees — over one‑quarter of its workforce — since President Trump returned to office in 2025, creating morale problems and a front office staffed by political appointees with little public‑health training (more than 3,000 employees).
- As Schwartz assumes the role, the CDC is responding to surges in measles, cyclosporiasis (including two cyclosporiasis‑related deaths linked to iceberg lettuce) and an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (Ebola outbreak).
- MS NOW reported the CDC webpage on potential links between vaccines and autism was 'slightly amended' before Sen. Bill Cassidy voted to confirm Schwartz, but the page still suggested vaccines could be linked to autism (vaccines and autism).
- During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz declined to answer yes or no when Sen. Maggie Hassan asked if she would follow a hypothetical directive from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop promoting flu vaccines, replying, 'Senator, I will always, always protect our children' (Sen. Maggie Hassan).
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, who had pressed Schwartz in July about whether she would resist pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted to advance and then confirm her, saying on July 23 he was confident she would 'stand against those who do not know what they are doing' (Sen. Bill Cassidy).
- Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against Schwartz both in committee and on the floor, saying on July 30 he respected her credentials but did not believe she would stand up to Kennedy’s false statements on vaccines (Sen. Bernie Sanders).
- Former CDC official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned last August, told NPR that Schwartz faces a difficult task and urged her to prioritize the CDC’s public‑health mission over the job title (Dr. Demetre Daskalakis).
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- PBS NewsHour’s August 5, 2026 news wrap segment reiterates that the Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director earlier that day.
- The segment frames the confirmation as part of the day's top national developments but does not add new details beyond the separate, dedicated PBS/AP article already captured in the existing story.
- The article reconfirms that Dr. Erica Schwartz was confirmed as CDC director on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, giving the agency its first permanent leader in a year.
- It reports that the CDC webpage on possible links between vaccines and autism was 'slightly amended' before Sen. Bill Cassidy voted to confirm Schwartz.
- Despite the amendment, the article says the webpage still states that vaccines could be linked to autism, even as Schwartz has publicly emphasized that vaccines are safe and effective.
- During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz declined to answer yes or no when Sen. Maggie Hassan asked if she would follow a hypothetical directive from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop promoting flu vaccines, replying instead, 'Senator, I will always, always protect our children.'
- In response to Sen. Bernie Sanders, Schwartz pledged she would review the specific CDC webpage suggesting a link between vaccines and autism and 'speak with the secretary' about it.
- The piece notes that Schwartz’s background includes service as a Coast Guard rear admiral, deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term, and possession of medical, law, and public-health degrees.
- The article reiterates that Schwartz assumes leadership amid recent U.S. outbreaks of measles and cyclosporiasis, including two cyclosporiasis-related deaths linked by federal agencies to iceberg lettuce.
- NPR confirms the Senate vote occurred Wednesday, August 5, 2026, and was 51-44 in favor of Erica Schwartz as CDC director.
- The article notes Schwartz is taking over a CDC that has lost thousands of employees in the second Trump administration due to layoffs, resignations and leadership shakeups.
- NPR specifies that 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 as Schwartz assumes the role.
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, after initially pressing Schwartz in a July confirmation hearing about whether she would resist pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccines, ultimately voted to advance and then to confirm her, saying on July 23 that he was confident she would stand against those who do not know what they are doing.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against Schwartz both in committee and on the floor, stating on July 30 that while he respected her credentials he did not believe she would stand up to Kennedy’s false statements on vaccines and that Americans were owed better than Trump’s nominee.
- Former CDC official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned last August, told NPR that Schwartz faces a difficult task and urged that she focus on the public health mission rather than the job title.
- PBS/Associated Press confirms the Senate vote was 51-44 on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, making Erica Schwartz the 22nd CDC director and the agency's first confirmed director in nearly a year.
- The article specifies Schwartz is 54 years old and details her background, including both medical and law degrees, prior service as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership post at the U.S. Coast Guard.
- It reiterates that the CDC has lost more than 3,000 employees — over one-quarter of its workforce — due to layoffs and resignations since President Trump returned to office in 2025, and describes morale problems and a front office staffed by political appointees with little or no public-health training.
- The piece notes that Susan Monarez, previously confirmed by the Senate as CDC director, was removed in less than a month for not aligning with the president's agenda, and that a series of HHS officials have since served as acting CDC director.
- PBS emphasizes that Schwartz is viewed by some public-health experts as Trump's choice rather than Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, and that she is the third Trump nominee for CDC director in 18 months after failed or short-lived tenures for David Weldon and Susan Monarez.
- The article adds that the CDC directorship was one of several leadership vacancies at federal health agencies, including the U.S. surgeon general and FDA commissioner positions.