Trump-nominee Susan Monarez Confirmed As CDC Director By Senate

The U.S. Senate reportedly voted 51-47 to confirm Susan Monarez as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Monarez served as acting director of the CDC until her nomination and will report to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his scepticism of vaccines, Reuters reported.

Monarez, however, told a Senate committee last month that she would prioritize vaccine availability if confirmed. She also said that she has not seen a causal link between vaccines and autism, refuting Kennedy’s claims otherwise.  

The CDC director is now expected to lead the response to the growing measles outbreak in the country and tackle the spread of bird flu, the report said.

Trump nominated Monarez in March after withdrawing his previous nomination for former Republican congressman Dave Weldon. Monarez, unlike CDC directors from 1953, does not hold a medical degree.

"As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement," the President then said.

The Reuters report stated that Monarez will lead the agency at a time when the White House is seeking to cut the CDC’s budget by about $3.6 billion. Earlier this year, Kennedy also enacted a layoff of 2,400 employees at the agency, though many were rehired.

Kennedy also fired members of the CDC’s panel of vaccine experts in June. 

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