A U.S. Senate health committee put off a scheduled vote Thursday on whether to move forward with the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to serve as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The committee’s chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy, said a family emergency had reduced the number of Republican members available to cast votes, making it impossible to proceed as planned. The panel now intends to hold that vote next week, which would send Schwartz’s nomination to the full Senate if approved.
Schwartz, who is 54 years old, would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based CDC if confirmed. The agency is responsible for shielding Americans from health threats that can be prevented.
Her confirmation hearing earlier this month drew pointed questions about whether she would be able to withstand political pressure in her role. The committee vote was expected to be tight. Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican whose backing is considered essential, was among those who questioned how Schwartz might respond if U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed her in a direction that conflicted with science-based decision making.
By Thursday, Cassidy said he had reached a conclusion on that question, stating he believed she is capable of resisting such pressure.
The CDC has been experiencing significant upheaval — including leadership turnover and staff departures — since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. The director’s post is one of several unfilled top-level positions within the Department of Health and Human Services, alongside vacancies for surgeon general and commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Another open role is assistant secretary for preparedness and response, a position responsible for overseeing the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies and disasters. Sean Kaufman has been nominated to fill that post. At the same confirmation hearing this month, several senators expressed concern over statements he has made against vaccination.
The committee chose not to vote on Kaufman’s nomination Thursday either, pushing that decision to July 30. A spokesperson for the committee said in a statement: “There are ongoing conversations with the administration on the path forward for Mr. Kaufman’s nomination.”
