Erica Schwartz, President Trump's nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pledged to uphold scientific integrity during her Senate health committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Schwartz faced intense questioning regarding her ability to remain independent from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine critic who has influenced recent agency policies.
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"I will never betray the science," Schwartz said, emphasizing her commitment to restoring public confidence through transparency.
However, she avoided detailing how she would handle direct pressure from her superior.
Senators Press for Independence
"We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization," said Bill Cassidy, the committee's chair and a Louisiana Republican.
Cassidy and other committee members pressed the nominee on her willingness to challenge controversial assertions regarding public health and immunization.
Opposition senators focused heavily on Kennedy's record of vaccine skepticism, raising concerns about potential political interference in future public health emergencies.
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Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan questioned Schwartz on whether she would comply if ordered to halt a critical flu vaccination campaign.
"It isn't hypothetical. It happened," Hassan said.
Schwartz responded, "Senator, I don't speak in hypotheticals."
Focus on Core Mission
Schwartz maintained that the agency must focus primarily on its core mission of managing infectious diseases rather than expanding its scope.
"I think over time, the CDC has had some mission creep, and it's trying to be all things to all people," she said.
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The nominee also addressed questions regarding altered content on the CDC website, claiming she was unaware of specific changes linking vaccines to autism or the curtailing of smoking cessation programs.
