House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued the following statement after President Biden announced his intention to appoint Mandy Cohen to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

“The next CDC Director will play a critical role in helping restore public trust in our government health agencies. I have concerns about Dr. Cohen’s past decisions as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, including to keep schools and businesses closed during the pandemic. Unless she immediately shows she has taken to heart the right lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and begins to restore trust in the CDC, this appointment will unfortunately just be a continuation of the current failed leadership. She must be candid about the CDC’s past failures and commit to being transparent and accountable to the American people. The Energy and Commerce Committee is committed to bringing much-needed reform to the CDC. I hope Dr. Cohen chooses to work constructively with us throughout this process.”

NOTE: 

Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) has introduced legislation that would accelerate the requirement for the CDC Director to be confirmed by the Senate. As originally signed into law under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, the current requirement for Senate confirmation of the CDC Director does not take effect until January 2025. If passed, the legislation would retroactively require Senate confirmation for any Director appointed after June 1, 2023. Any appointed Director would serve in an acting capacity until confirmed. 

Original source can be found here.