On July 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of Sean Kaufman to be Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Erica Schwartz to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mr. Kaufman, in his opening statement, spoke to the critical role of public health preparedness and affirmed the lifesaving value of vaccines, expressing his desire to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, if confirmed. Dr. Schwartz, in her opening statement, praised the public health workforce, emphasized the importance of strengthening trust in our governmental public health system, and highlighted the need for public health data modernization. Both Dr. Schwartz and Mr. Kaufman devoted portions of their opening statements to calling out the importance of local public health, with Mr. Kaufman saying, “public health is always local.” Both nominees identified strengthening partnerships between federal health agencies and state, local, tribal, and territorial partners as key priorities.

Much of the hearing was devoted to discussion of vaccine trust and safety with senators across the political spectrum raising concerns about claims that vaccines and autism are linked, questions on the safety of the hepatitis b birth dose, flu vaccine mandates, and mRNA technology. Both nominees did affirm that they believe vaccines to be safe and effective, but many of the exchanges around vaccines suggested that both Dr. Schwartz and Mr. Kaufman are navigating tension between scientific consensus and vaccine skepticism. 

Senators on both sides of the aisle stressed the importance of transparency and integrity in these roles and pressed the nominees on their commitment to those values. Additionally, Senators sought assurance that Dr. Schwartz would be committed to carrying out the duties of CDC director free from interference. Dr. Schwartz maintained that she did not anticipate political pressure coming into play. 

In an effort to further explore whether the nominees would protect federally funded programs, multiple senators raised specific agency cuts, referencing staff reductions at CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the elimination of the Office of Smoking and Health (OSH) at CDC, the cancellation of funds for mRNA research under ASPR, and the proposed zeroing out of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Dr. Schwartz seemed to be unaware of many of these massive staffing changes at CDC, while Mr. Kaufman defended the mRNA research cancellation and emphasized the essential nature of MRC.

Senators also raised concerns about emerging disease outbreaks across the country and around the world, including Ebola, hantavirus, cyclospora, and chronic wasting disease. These lines of questioning served as reminders of the need for functioning, consistent, and trusted federal public health agencies.

The Senate HELP Committee is scheduled to vote on moving these nominations out of committee and to the full Senate on Thursday, July 23. NACCHO Government Affairs will continue to update members through NACCHO Voice and News from Washington.