Politics · CDC Vote Delayed · ArchiveSchwartz CDC Vote Delayed as Cassidy Backs, Sanders Opposes NomineeAired July 25, 2026 at 6:41 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00The nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to0:02lead the CDC is in limbo tonight after a0:04Senate committee vote was abruptly0:06postponed, but the battle lines are now0:08clear. The Republican panel chair is0:10backing her, while the top Democrat is0:12vowing opposition, and the central0:14question is whether the next CDC0:15director can stand up to political0:17pressure. Louisiana Senator Bill0:19Cassidy, the HELP Committee chair,0:21endorsed Schwartz on July 23rd. He said0:24his review of her confirmation testimony0:26and conversations with colleagues who0:27served alongside her gave him confidence0:30she can rebuild public trust in0:31vaccines. But Vermont Senator Bernie0:33Sanders pushed back hard, warning0:35Schwartz would not resist what he called0:37anti-science influence from HHS0:39Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sanders0:42announced he'll vote against her0:43confirmation. The HELP Committee was0:45scheduled to vote on Schwartz Thursday,0:47but key members were absent, no quorum.0:50The vote has been pushed to July 30th,0:52giving both sides more time to whip0:54support. The backdrop is urgent. Measles0:57cases have hit a 35-year high with half0:59the year still to go. HHS has already1:01modified the CDC's autism and vaccines1:03webpage, a move Cassidy called a sign of1:06good faith, but critics saw as political1:08interference. During her July 15th1:10hearing, Schwartz pledged to restore1:12trust in public health institutions, but1:14she avoided committing to defy orders1:16from Secretary Kennedy if they1:17contradicted science. So the core1:19question remains, will the next CDC1:21director have the independence to1:23protect public health from political1:24interference? That decision now falls to1:27the full HELP Committee when it1:28reconvenes July 30th.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗