CDC director pledges staff rebuild and revive under-funded programs

Dr. Erica Schwartz, the new director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressed agency staff for the first time on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, promising to rebuild trust and tackle significant challenges including understaffed, congressionally funded programs that have effectively stalled. Her hourlong meeting at the Atlanta headquarters came as the agency continues to recover from widespread layoffs and instability under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Schwartz acknowledged the difficult conditions faced by employees, stating, "I'm so sorry that you have to live under this extreme psychological unsafety." She expressed hope that staff could "feel safe" and engage in "honest conversations" without fear of retribution, adding that she was "very comfortable" speaking truth to power with Kennedy. Her comments came in response to staff concerns about potential consequences for voicing worries amid ongoing turmoil. The agency has lost over 3,000 employees, more than one-quarter of its workforce, due to layoffs and resignations over the past year.

A central issue Schwartz inherits is the plight of dozens of "zombie programs." These...