Senate Panel Backs Susan Monarez as Trump’s CDC Leader/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Susan Monarez, Trump’s nominee for CDC director, won Senate health committee approval in a narrow party-line vote. If confirmed, she’ll be the first CDC chief to face Senate confirmation under a 2023 law. Her nomination comes amid CDC turmoil and debates over vaccine policies under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Quick Look
- Nominee: Susan Monarez, microbiologist and immunologist
- Vote Tally: Advanced 12-11 along party lines
- Background: Acting CDC director since January
- Controversy: Faces questions on stance toward RFK Jr.’s policies
- Next Step: Full Senate vote for confirmation
Senate Panel Backs Susan Monarez as Trump’s CDC Leader
Deep Look
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 12-11 Wednesday to advance Susan Monarez’s nomination to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bringing her closer to becoming the agency’s first director to undergo Senate confirmation since a 2023 law changed the process.
Monarez, 50, has served as acting director of the CDC since January, stepping into the role after President Donald Trump’s original nominee, David Weldon, withdrew. With a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin and postdoctoral research at Stanford, she built a career in government health technology and biosecurity before joining the CDC.
The CDC has endured significant leadership turmoil in recent years, including staff cuts, resignations of top officials, and growing controversies over vaccine guidance, particularly under the influence of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic.
In her confirmation hearing last month, Monarez affirmed support for vaccines and evidence-based public health measures but largely sidestepped questions about how her positions align—or clash—with Kennedy’s. This reticence drew criticism from Democrats, with Sen. Bernie Sanders accusing her of failing to push back against Kennedy’s destabilizing changes.
The CDC, founded in 1946 to combat malaria, has evolved into a leading global institution for infectious and chronic disease prevention and public health guidance. Monarez’s potential confirmation could bring stability to an agency at the center of ongoing debates over U.S. health policy.
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