Senate confirms Schwartz for CDC director

The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz for Centers for Disease Control director on Wednesday, giving the beleaguered agency its first full-time political leader in almost a year.

Why it matters: While the 51-44 vote marked a step toward refilling the depleted ranks of the Trump administration's health care leadership, it didn't fully resolve questions about whether Schwartz could steer clear of political interference.

Driving the news: Just one Democrat — Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) — supported Schwartz's nomination, along with all of the Republicans present.

• "She's got the qualifications for the job," Kaine told Politico last week after voting to advance Schwartz's nomination out of committee. Schwartz is a physician who worked at the Department of Health and Human Services during the first Trump administration.
• Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who had been skeptical of Schwartz, said he decided to support her after being assured through their conversations that "she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not."

Context: Schwartz faced tough questioning during her July 15 confirmation hearing over whether she could chart a course for the public health agency and work with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

• She vowed to rebuild trust in the CDC but hedged on whether she would tell Congress if she was told to adopt "unscientific" or harmful policies, saying she didn't believe either President Trump or Kennedy would do that.
• Many public health leaders initially applauded her nomination, but some said they could not support Schwartz after her confirmation hearing, saying she failed to give clear answers to simple questions.

Schwartz was Trump's third nominee to lead the CDC, following Susan Monarez, who was fired after less than a month in the role. She claimed she was dismissed for refusing to rubber-stamp Kennedy's vaccine policies.

• The former deputy surgeon general was viewed as a less polarizing pick. But policy experts say she'll face challenges stabilizing an agency that's lacked a full-time political leader for almost a year and is beset by morale and staffing problems.

The Senate hasn't yet scheduled a vote on whether to confirm Sean Kaufman for HHS assistant health secretary for preparedness and response.

• Kaufman also seems poised to get confirmed, despite lingering questions about past anti-vaccine statements.
• Before the health committee approved Kaufman's nomination last month, Cassidy said he got a few concessions from HHS to justify his support, including "key personnel changes" — which he never specified — and assurances that Kaufman won't be involved in vaccine policy.