美国参议院卫生、教育、劳动和养老金委员会周四推进了医学博士埃丽卡·施瓦茨担任美国疾病控制与预防中心主任的提名[1]。54岁的施瓦茨若获全参议院确认，将成为CDC第22任主任[1]。委员会以接近党派线投票方式推进了这一提名[1]。
在审议过程中，议员们重点关注施瓦茨是否能够抵制特朗普政府卫生部长小罗伯特·肯尼迪的政治干预[1]。委员会主席、路易斯安那州共和党参议员比尔·卡西迪表示："我相信她知道自己在做什么，会反对那些不知道的人"[1]。然而，反对者对此持怀疑态度。参议员伯尼·桑德斯等人质疑："特朗普政府中是否会有人有勇气反对反科学和阴谋论的人？"[1] 施瓦茨在7月听证会上承诺"永不背弃科学"，但在多个场合拒绝明确反对肯尼迪的某些具体行动[1]。
CDC面临严峻的人事挑战，过去一年多失去3000多名员工，超过其员工总数的四分之一[1]。前CDC主任丹尼尔·杰尼根指出，如施瓦茨未被确认，"意味着CDC将继续在没有指导的状态下前行"[1]。
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee advanced the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to serve as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday [1]. If confirmed by the full Senate, the 54-year-old physician would become the CDC's 22nd director [1].
During the committee proceedings, senators focused on whether Schwartz would resist potential political interference from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should he issue directives that contradict science [1]. Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, expressed confidence in her resolve, stating: "I believe she knows what she's doing and will push back on those who don't" [1]. However, Senator Bernie Sanders and other opponents questioned whether anyone in the Trump administration would have the courage to oppose anti-scientific and conspiratorial positions [1].
The nomination advances as the CDC faces significant institutional challenges [1]. The agency has lost more than 3,000 employees over the past year, representing more than a quarter of its total workforce [1]. At her July confirmation hearing, Schwartz pledged to "never abandon science," but she declined multiple times to take a stance against certain actions Kennedy has pursued [1]. Former CDC Director Daniel Jernigan warned that if Schwartz is not confirmed, "it means the CDC will continue forward without leadership" [1].