Dr. Erica Schwartz confirmed as director of the CDC

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was the only Democrat who voted in her favor alongside Republicans. The final tally was 51-44.

Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general during President Donald Trump’s first administration, will be Trump’s second CDC director since his return to the White House.

The first, Susan Monarez, was fired in August 2025 after just a month on the job.

Monarez later told senators that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had asked her to commit to firing CDC experts and wanted her to preapprove new vaccine guidelines without any review or input. She said she refused on the grounds it would violate both her oath of office and ethical standards.

Democrats who opposed Schwartz’s nomination said they were concerned that she would not stand up to Kennedy. But in a nomination hearing last month, she promised to follow the science and said Kennedy had assured her he would not interfere.

Last week, the Senate’s health committee voted to advance her nomination to the floor.

During that same meeting, the committee also narrowly signed off on Woodstock resident Sean Kaufman’s nomination to be assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, Kaufman’s nomination was not brought to the floor alongside Schwartz. There are lingering concerns from Democrats and even some Republicans about his past comments criticizing vaccines.