Senate confirms Erica Schwartz as CDC director
The Senate voted 51-44 to confirm Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ending a year-long vacancy at the agency.
The short version
The U.S. Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday. The agency has lost more than a quarter of its workforce since early 2025.
The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday by a vote of 51-44.2,1 Schwartz is the first Senate-confirmed director of the CDC in nearly a year.1 The CDC has operated without a permanent leader since early 2025.3
The agency has lost more than a quarter of its workforce since Trump's return to office in 2025.3 The confirmation vote followed a procedural hurdle cleared earlier on Wednesday, when the Senate voted 51-43 to end debate on her nomination.1 Schwartz's confirmation marks a step toward refilling depleted ranks in the Trump administration's health care leadership.2
The CDC is a federal agency responsible for disease control and prevention in the United States.2
Why it matters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States, responsible for responding to health threats and preventing disease outbreaks.2
The agency's workforce has declined by over 25% since early 2025, a period coinciding with the return of the Trump administration to office.3
This account was written from the 3 reports listed below, filed by 3 independent outlets, and checked against them line by line. It is not a copy of any one of them. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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