On July 15, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing with Dr. Erica Schwartz, nominee for Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Sean Kaufman, MPH, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Following opening remarks and testimonies, questions from Senators focused largely on vaccination policies and research.
Opening Remarks
Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) opened the hearing by expressing concern over misinformation about and access to vaccinations under the past and present administrations. He discussed the decline of public trust in science and health institutions and underscored the importance of emergency public health preparedness, highlighting the recent cyclospora outbreak. Cassidy then explained how the public lost trust in the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating, “when trust is destroyed, it’s hard to be effective,” and criticized ASPR’s decision to cut mRNA vaccine research. Addressing the ASPR nominee, Cassidy expressed frustration over previous comments on vaccines causing autism, the necessity of the hepatitis B birth dose, and remarks such as “I hate the CDC,” requesting clarification from Kaufman.
Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) began by noting that they are only considering a new CDC Director because HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired former Director Susan Monarez for refusing to comply with his “dangerous agenda to limit the use of safe and effective vaccines.”(The Senate confirmed Monarez for the position in July 2025, but was fired just one month later — see FABBS coverage). Sanders then emphasized that, as a consequence, the U.S. saw the worst measles outbreak in three decades last year, the global outbreak of the hantavirus in April 2026, and the ongoing spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Turning to immunization, Sanders noted falling vaccination rates and the resulting increase in childhood deaths. He shared that the HELP Committee received 250 pages of emails from CDC and HHS officials confirming Kennedy’s agenda to limit access to vaccines, spread misinformation regarding links to autism, and halt a critical flu vaccination campaign. Sanders closed by underscoring the need for HHS staff to stand up for science and reject administrative policies that may jeopardize public health.
Witness Testimonies
Schwartz reviewed her academic and professional background, including her service in the Navy and Coast Guard and her position as the U.S. Deputy Surgeon General during the first Trump administration. Schwartz shared her three main priorities if confirmed as the CDC Director: (1) restore trust in public health through radical transparency and unwavering scientific integrity, (2) modernize the CDC to be able to expedite threat detection and response, and (3) empower local communities and partners as the operational backbone of American public health. She closed by committing to empower the CDC workforce to collaborate with public health leaders and scientific communities to fulfill the agency’s mission.
Kaufman, who currently serves as the Senior Adviser for Global Affairs at CDC, provided an overview of his experience in public health, noting his work with HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19, to name a few. He outlined five priorities he would commit to if confirmed for the role: (1) strengthen and reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA); (2) accelerate the development of medical countermeasures, therapeutics, and diagnostics; (3) invest in the healthcare, science, and emergency response workforces; (4) modernize the development, manufacturing, and delivery of crucial medical products; and (5) strengthen partnerships across all levels of the nation, and with industry and academia. Kaufman closed by expressing gratitude for the opportunity and reaffirmed he would tackle this responsibility with humility and respect.
Committee Member Questions and Concerns
Cassidy commenced questioning by asking Schwartz whether she would demonstrate the same level of integrity as Monarez, i.e., object to orders that may be harmful for public health. Schwartz promised she would not compromise the nation’s health. Cassidy then asked whether she would demonstrate firmness against political meddling in public health decisions, but expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of directness in her ambiguous response.
Sanders asked Schwartz whether she would remove the page from the CDC website that suggests vaccines may cause autism, to which she responded that the causes of autism are not yet known. Schwartz did, however, note she would speak with Kennedy about removing the page if confirmed. Finally, Sanders questioned whether she would commit to reporting to Congress if she received directives from the administration that were unscientific or harmful to the American people. She expressed disbelief that the president or the HHS secretary would do anything of the sort.
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) asked the nominees whether they believed mRNA vaccines were safe and effective. Both responded positively. Baldwin asked Schwartz how she would handle the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) recent proposed rule on federal financial assistance (see FABBS reporting). Schwartz stated she would promote scientific integrity, exhibit radical transparency, and lead with humility, noting she is a “patient-centered physician” and wishes to be a “nation-centered CDC director.”
Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) referred to unclear guidance from the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked Schwartz about internal safeguards that prevent misleading the public and ensure transparency. Schwartz responded that she wishes to be radically transparent with the American people. Her first order of business would be to conduct a listening session with CDC career scientists to understand how to restore trust with the public and build morale within the agency.
In his final round of questions, the conversation grew heated as Cassidy turned to a now-deleted post by Kaufman linking the hepatitis B vaccination to autism. Cassidy demanded to know why Kaufman would repeat “damn lies” that erode public trust — and invoked his own experience as a physician who has watched patients die from vaccine-preventable diseases, hepatitis B among them.
The HELP Committee convened on Thursday, July 23, for an executive session to further discuss the nominations. At press time, no confirmation vote has been held.
