Controversy and Crisis: Senate Confirms Susan Monarez as CDC Director Amid Budget Cuts and Vaccine Policy Upheaval
- Natalie Frank
- Jul 30
- 1 min read
Trump’s second nominee for CDC chief steps into a storm of layoffs, measles outbreaks, and public trust erosion as RFK Jr. reshapes U.S. health policy
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D July 30 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the thinnest of margins, the U.S. Senate confirmed Susan Monarez as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with a 51-47 vote, cementing a pivotal leadership change at a time of deep national health challenges and policy turbulence.
The confirmation marks the first time a CDC director has needed Senate approval, an added formality introduced after recent amendments to the Public Health Service Act. The amendment requires that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be appointed by the President, by and with the consent and confirmation of the Senate. Anyone appointed to the position after June 1, 2023 would be serving in an acting capacity until Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation.
