NEW YORK – A Senate health committee vote on Dr. Erica Schwartz’s nomination to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was postponed Thursday, delaying a key step in the confirmation process.
The panel is now expected to take up the nomination next week and decide whether to send it to the full Senate. Committee Chair Sen. Bill Cassidy said the delay was tied to a family emergency that affected the number of Republicans available to be present for a yes vote.
If confirmed, Schwartz, 54, would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based CDC, the federal agency responsible for protecting Americans from preventable health threats.
Her nomination drew close attention during a confirmation hearing earlier this month, where senators pressed her on whether she would withstand political pressure. The committee vote had been expected to be tight, and Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican whose backing is considered critical, was among those asking how Schwartz would respond if U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed her in a direction that conflicted with science-based decision-making.
Cassidy said Thursday that he had concluded Schwartz would be able to resist that kind of pressure.
The CDC has faced a period of instability marked by leadership turnover and staff departures since President Donald Trump returned to office last year. The director’s job is among several senior vacancies across the Department of Health and Human Services, including surgeon general and commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Another unfilled role is assistant secretary for preparedness and response, a post that oversees the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies and disasters.
Sean Kaufman has been nominated for that position. He also appeared at the confirmation hearing earlier this month, where several senators criticized some of his statements opposing vaccination.
The committee decided not to vote on Kaufman’s nomination Thursday. It scheduled to be taken up July 30.
“There are ongoing conversations with the administration on the path forward for Mr. Kaufman’s nomination,” according to a statement from a committee spokesperson.
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