Senate Confirms Erica Schwartz as CDC Director and Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess as Chief of Space Operations

The U.S. Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as the new Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 7, 2026, ending a year-long vacancy for the position. Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general and chief medical officer of the U.S. Coast Guard, pledged to uphold scientific integrity and transparency. Additionally, the Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess as the third-ever Chief of Space Operations, succeeding Gen. Chance Saltzman. The Senate also confirmed other space-related leadership positions, including Erich Hernandez-Baquero for Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, and Roger Mason as director of the National Reconnaissance Office.