Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Senate Confirms Erica Schwartz as CDC Director
The CDC is a group that helps keep people healthy and safe from diseases.
The Senate is like a big team of grown-ups who decide if important people can get certain jobs.
A woman named Erica Schwartz just got a big new job leading the CDC.
Many people in the Senate voted for her — 51 said yes and 44 said no.
She is the third person that the president's team asked to take this job.
Almost all the people in one group, called Republicans, voted yes for her.
Only one person in the other group, called Democrats, voted yes.
Now she will be the permanent leader of the CDC, which had been without one for almost a year.
The Senate voted 51-44 on Wednesday to confirm Erica Schwartz as CDC director.
Schwartz is Trump's third pick for the role.
The vote broke down almost entirely along party lines.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was the only Democrat to support her nomination.
Every Republican senator present for the vote backed Schwartz.
- Who
- Erica Schwartz, confirmed by the Senate as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- What
- The Senate confirmed Schwartz as CDC director by a 51-44 vote, giving the agency a permanent political leader.
- When
- Wednesday
- Where
- United States Senate
- Why
- To fill the CDC leadership role after almost a year without a permanent political leader; she is Trump's third pick for the position.
- Confirmed official
- Erica Schwartz
- Position
- Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Senate vote
- 51-44
- Nominating president
- Donald Trump
- Pick status
- Third Trump pick for the role
- Democratic supporters
- 1 (Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia)
- Time without permanent leader
- Almost a year