WASHINGTON, July 23 - Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy signaled on Thursday that he would back moving forward with the nomination of Erica Schwartz to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nomination was under consideration during a committee meeting where Cassidy delivered opening remarks outlining his intention.
In his remarks, Cassidy, who is a Louisiana Republican and a physician, said: "I’m confident that she knows what she’s doing and will stand against those who do not." Those words were spoken as he opened the committee session examining the nomination.
After making his statement, Cassidy adjourned the panel. He also indicated that an informal, off-the-floor vote was scheduled to occur later the same morning at 11:35 a.m. ET. The committee action will determine whether the nomination is advanced to the full Senate. The committee moving the nomination forward would be followed by a full Senate vote at a later, unspecified date to determine whether Schwartz is confirmed.
The committee involved in the proceedings is the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Cassidy’s combination of roles as committee chair, a physician by training, and a Louisiana Republican were noted during the meeting, and the original reporting characterized his vote as likely to be the defining one on this nomination.
Process to follow
- The chair voiced support for advancing the nomination during the committee hearing.
- Chair Cassidy adjourned the panel and set an informal off-the-floor vote for 11:35 a.m. ET.
- If the committee advances the nomination, the full Senate will vote at a later date on confirmation.
The remarks and procedural steps described here reflect the statements and schedule reported from the committee meeting. No further outcomes or dates for a full Senate vote were provided at the time of the committee action.