Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (Murkowski): Business meeting to consider the nomination of Erica Schwartz, of Florida, to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A note to members. We've got a couple members on our side who are either cannot be here because of a family emergency or a family commitment. Now, as opposed to wait until they arrive, which would be a little bit long, I'm going to just dismiss. Senator Sanders and I can make our opening statements, but then we'll have a vote off the floor. And I need to emphasize, at least to those who are voting yes, you got to be there.

And if you're voting no, take a walk. It'll be probably around 11:35. Around 11:35. 11:30 Is when it's supposed to. Okay.

And so sorry for the inconvenience, but everybody understands when, when people have family member issues. Okay. And so I'll begin with my opening statement. I'll then defer to Senator Sanders. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to point out that your most junior members on this committee down here are all here in solidarity to help you.

This is a sandwich committee. The most senior members, the most junior members. It's the damn people. We're here. I just did.

So, Mr. Chairman, this means we don't need to stay and hear your eloquent words. You don't need to stay and hear my eloquent words, although you're quite welcome to do so. I see Coach is kind of planted. He wants to hear the pep talk.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order. The nation faces enormous public health challenges. Measles cases are at a 35-year high with half a year left for them to rise even more. This due to deliberate attempts to undermine faith in traditional public health measures by those who know nothing but push their ignorance as fact. CDC needs someone who understands that the way to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases is to reassure the public that vaccines are safe and effective.

After speaking with Dr. Schwartz again after the hearing, reviewing the transcript, and speaking to those who have served with her and know her well, I'm confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not. As a sign of good faith, HHS has now modified the CDC's autism and vaccines webpage. There's more to do to repair the damage that has been done to the U.S. public health response. But this is a start. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Dr. Schwartz to protect children's health and regain trust in the CDC.

With that, I recognize Senator Sanders. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And let me say I was impressed by Dr. Schwartz's service to our country and her educational background. Not too often that you have people with law degrees and medical degrees, but I will vote against her. I share your concern that this country faces major public health crises—measles, etc.

You're quite right that we have had conspiracy theorists telling parents all over this country that vaccines don't work or vaccines are dangerous, when in fact we need to vaccinate our kids against preventable diseases. The issue at hand is not complicated, and that is, will we have people in the Trump administration who have the guts to stand up to people who are anti-science and into conspiracy theories? And I'm afraid that right now within HHS, We have a secretary who will not tolerate dissent. You are more optimistic than I am. So I will be voting against Dr. Schwartz because we need people in this country who are going to stand up, protect the American people.

And I don't think you're going to see that right now with Secretary Kennedy in his position. The committee now stands adjourned, subject to the recess, subject to the call. Oh, shit. Scratch that. The committee stands recessed, subject to the call of the chair.

I wrote that.