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Adrian Smith
RRunning, 2024 Nebraska U.S. House District 3, General Election
Running, 2024 Nebraska U.S. House District 3, Primary Election
Won the General, 2022 Nebraska U.S. House District 3
Nebraska U.S. House, District 3 (2006 - Present)
Assistant Republican Whip, United States House of Representatives (2006 - Present)
To be claimed
Adrian Smith (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 4, 2007. His current term ends on January 3, 2021.
Smith (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2020. He advanced from the Republican primary on May 12, 2020.
Prior to his election to the U.S. House, Smith served in the Nebraska State Senate from 1999 to 2007. He also served on the Gering City Council from 1994 to 1998.
Based on analysis of multiple outside rankings, Smith is one of the most reliable Republican votes, meaning he can be considered a safe vote for the Republican Party in Congress.
Smith was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He attended Liberty University from 1989 to 1990 but transferred and earned a B.A. from the University of Nebraska in 1993.
Below is an abbreviated outline of Smith's academic, professional, and political career:
Member, Congressional General Aviation Caucus, present
Chair, Congressional Rural Caucus, present
Co-Chair, Congressional Rural Veterans Caucus, present
Member, Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, present
Member, House Pro-Life Caucus, present
Member, Western Caucus, present
Former Co-Chair, Congressional Hydropower Caucus
Former Member, Congressional Rural Health Care Caucus
Former Member, Congressional Second Amendment Caucus
Former Member, House Administration Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, House Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, present
Former Member, House Economic Competitiveness Caucus
Former Member, House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Former Chair, Human Resources Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Social Security Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Tea Party Caucus
Member, Subcommittee on Health (Ways and Means)
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures
Member, Ways and Means
— Awards:
Favorite Book:
"When Character was King," by Peggy Noonan
Favorite Movie:
"The Patriot"
Favorite TV Shows:
"Meet the Press," "Bill O'Reilly," and "Dukes of Hazard."
Favorite Type of Music:
Michael W. Smith, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Sara Evans, classical
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- No
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position
Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- No
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position
Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes
1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer
2. Abortions should always be legally available.
- No Answer
3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer
4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- No Answer
5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X
6. Eliminate public funding for abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
- X
7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Education (Higher)
- Slightly Decrease Funding
2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Funding Status
3. Environment
- Maintain Funding Status
4. Health care
- Maintain Funding Status
5. Law enforcement
- Maintain Funding Status
6. Transportation and Highway infrastructure
- Maintain Funding Status
7. Welfare
- Maintain Funding Status
8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
9. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status
10. Capital gains taxes
- Slightly Decrease
11. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status
12. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status
13. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status
14. Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
- Maintain Status
15. Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
- Maintain Status
16. Inheritance taxes
- Slightly Decrease
17. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease
18. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status
19. Vehicle taxes
- Maintain Status
20. Should Nebraska expand the sales tax on services?
- Undecided
21. Should Internet sales be taxed?
- No
22. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support the current two term eight year limit for Nebraska governors?
- Yes
2. Do you support the current two term eight year limit for Nebraska state legislators?
- Undecided
3. Individual
- No
4. PAC
- Yes
5. Corporate
- Yes
6. Political Parties
- Undecided
7. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes
8. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- No
9. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- No
10. Do you support voting on-line?
- No
11. Do you support adopting statewide standards for counting, verifying, and ensuring accuracy of votes?
- Yes
12. Do you support prohibiting media exit polling of voters until all polling locations in Nebraska are closed?
- Yes
13. Do you support allowing Native American tribes to have casinos on reservations?
- No
14. Do you support allowing video gaming machines in Nebraska?
- No
15. Should Nebraska recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
- No
16. Should Nebraska restrict marriage to a union only between a man and a woman?
- Yes
17. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer
2. Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
- X
3. Oppose the use of the death penalty in Nebraska.
- No Answer
4. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X
5. End parole for repeat violent offenders.
- X
6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X
7. Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer
8. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- No Answer
9. Support the .08 blood-alcohol-content limit defining drunk driving.
- X
10. Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
- X
11. Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability be prosecuted as hate crimes.
- No Answer
12. Ban the use of racial profiling by law enforcement officers.
- X
13. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- No Answer
14. Increase state funding for additional security of critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks.
- No Answer
15. Require that sex offenders register with local police in every county where they live, work, or go to school.
- X
16. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support national standards and testing of public school students.
- No Answer
2. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- No Answer
3. Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
- No Answer
4. Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
- No Answer
5. Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
- No Answer
6. Support displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools.
- No Answer
7. Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
- No Answer
8. Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
- No Answer
9. Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
- No Answer
10. Increase state funding to expand Head Start programs.
- No Answer
11. Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
- No Answer
12. Support age-appropriate sexual education programs that teach about abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods.
- No Answer
13. Support abstinence-only sexual education programs.
- X
14. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- No Answer
2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- No Answer
3. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X
4. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- X
5. Increase state funds to provide child care for children of low-income working families.
- No Answer
6. Prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.
- No Answer
7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
8. College and university admissions
- No
9. Public employment
- No
10. State contracting
- No
1. Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
- X
2. Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
- X
3. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Undecided
4. Should state environmental regulations be stricter than federal law?
- Undecided
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
- No Answer
2. Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer
3. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer
4. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer
5. Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
- X
6. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
- No Answer
7. Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
- No Answer
8. Require a license for gun possession.
- No Answer
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- X
2. Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
- X
3. Reduce the amount the state pays to pharmacies for filling Medicaid patients' prescriptions.
- No Answer
4. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- X
5. Support patients' right to sue their HMOs.
- No Answer
6. Support patients' right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied by their HMO.
- No Answer
7. Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- No Answer
8. Legalize physician-assisted suicide in Nebraska.
- No Answer
9. Increase state funding for training health workers to recognize and respond to the release of biological agents.
- No Answer
10. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support current time limits on welfare benefits.
- X
2. Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- No Answer
3. Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
- X
4. Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
- X
5. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- No Answer
6. Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
- No Answer
7. Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
- X
8. Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to expand state services to include the working poor.
- No Answer
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No
1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- No
2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Yes
Latest Action: House - 06/21/2019 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/18/2019 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/12/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Tracker:
Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District election, 2020 (May 12 Republican primary)
Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District election, 2020 (May 12 Democratic primary)
Incumbent Adrian Smith, Mark Elworth Jr., and Dustin Hobbs are running in the general election for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on November 3, 2020.
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Adrian Smith (R) |
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Mark Elworth Jr. (D) |
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Dustin Hobbs (L) |
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Running in this race? Join your other candidates for a conversation.
Mark Elworth Jr. advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on May 12, 2020.
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Mark Elworth Jr. |
100.0%
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26,776 Votes✔ |
Total votes: 26,776
Incumbent Adrian Smith defeated Arron Kowalski, Justin Moran, William Elfgren, and Larry Bolinger in the Republican primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on May 12, 2020.
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Adrian Smith |
82.6%
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96,260 Votes✔ |
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Arron Kowalski |
5.5%
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6,424 Votes |
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Justin Moran |
5.5%
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6,374 Votes |
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William Elfgren |
3.5%
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4,063 Votes |
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Larry Bolinger |
2.9%
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3,389 Votes |
Total votes: 116,510
Dustin Hobbs advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on May 12, 2020.
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Dustin Hobbs |
100.0%
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561 Votes✔ |
Total votes: 561
Incumbent Adrian Smith defeated Paul Theobald in the general election for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on November 6, 2018.
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Adrian Smith (R) |
76.7%
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163,650 Votes✔ |
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Paul Theobald (D) |
23.3%
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49,654 Votes |
Total votes: 213,304
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Paul Theobald advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on May 15, 2018.
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Paul Theobald |
100.0%
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16,395 Votes✔ |
Total votes: 16,395
Incumbent Adrian Smith defeated Kirk Penner, Arron Kowalski, and Larry Bolinger in the Republican primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 3 on May 15, 2018.
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Adrian Smith |
65.7%
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50,878 Votes✔ |
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Kirk Penner |
26.0%
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20,116 Votes |
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Arron Kowalski |
5.8%
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4,461 Votes |
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Larry Bolinger |
2.5%
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1,935 Votes |
Total votes: 77,390
rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Adrian Smith faced no opposition in the general election on November 8, 2016. No Democratic candidates filed to run in 2016. Smith also faced no primary opponent on May 10, 2016.
U.S. House, Nebraska District 3 General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Adrian Smith Incumbent |
100% | 226,720 |
| Total Votes | 226,720 | ||
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State | |||
Smith ran in the 2014 election for the U.S. House to represent Nebraska's 3rd District. Smith won the Republican nomination in the primary on May 13, 2014. He defeated challenger Mark Sullivan (D) in the general election on November 4, 2014.
U.S. House, Nebraska District 3 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Adrian Smith Incumbent |
75.4% | 139,440 |
| Democratic | Mark Sullivan | 24.6% | 45,524 |
| Total Votes | 184,964 | ||
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State | |||
U.S. House, Nebraska District 3 Republican Primary, 2014
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Adrian Smith Incumbent |
68.1% | 67,113 | ||
| Tom Brewer | 31.9% | 31,436 | ||
| Total Votes | 98,549 | |||
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State | ||||
Smith was reportedly considering a bid to succeed outgoing freshman U.S. Senator Mike Johanns in the 2014 elections, but he decided to run for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives instead.
Smith ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Nebraska's 3rd District. He defeated Bob Lingenfelter in the primary election on May 15, 2012, and Democrat Mark Sullivan in the November general election.
U.S. House, Nebraska District 3 General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Sullivan | 25.8% | 65,266 |
| Republican | Adrian Smith Incumbent |
74.2% | 187,423 |
| Total Votes | 252,689 | ||
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | |||
Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary, 2012
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
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Adrian Smith Incumbent |
81.4% | 62,645 |
| Bob Lingenfelter | 18.6% | 14,297 |
| Total Votes | 76,942 | |
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2010 On November 2, 2010, Adrian Smith won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Rebekah Davis (D) and Dan Hill (Petition) in the general election. United States House, Nebraska District 3, General Election, 2010
2008 On November 4, 2008, Adrian Smith won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jay Stoddard (D) in the general election. U.S. House, Nebraska District 3 General Election, 2008
2006 On November 7, 2006, Adrian Smith won election to the United States House. He defeated Scott Kleeb (D) in the general election. United States House, Nebraska District 3, General Election, 2006
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By Rep. Adrian Smith We are now one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. While the virus has drastically and unfortunately changed the way we operate personally and professionally, my staff and I have continued serving Nebraskans. Although a lot of my travel has been limited, I look forward to hitting the road again and visiting with folks in person very soon. Meeting with constituents throughout the Third District has certainly looked different this past year, but my staff in Washington and Nebraska have done a great job of using technology to stay accessible and available to Nebraskans. I have been meeting daily with constituents and colleagues by video conference and phone in order to best serve the Third District. As we have adjusted to the new normal of virtual meetings, rest assured Nebraska has continued to have a voice in Washington. My office is a resource for constituents to use on an individual basis, along with the needs of different counties and local officials. If you require assistance with a federal agency or are searching for answers on issues of concern, myself and my staff are here to help. I encourage all constituents to reach out to my offices in Scottsbluff, Grand Island, and Washington to take advantage of our constituent services. Through casework and timely outreach, my staff provides support to individuals who are trying to navigate the federal bureaucracy. Prior to COVID-19, my office served as a great tool for travel to our nation's capital as well. Although the U.S. Capitol building remains closed to visitors at the moment, I am hopeful we will be able to resume hosting meetings in my Washington office and scheduling tours for both the Capitol and the White House soon. Another example of the kinds of services my office provides is the Third District Service Academy Open House I will host the annual open house next week in conjunction with Nebraska's U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse. This event offers young Nebraskans the chance to learn more about U.S. service academies as well as other prospective ways to serve in the military. More information can be found on my website, pre-registration is required to attend the virtual event: https://adriansmith.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/smith-fischer-sasse-announce-virtual-third-district-service-academy-open. Navigating the trials and tribulations of the last year was an adjustment for everyone to say the least, but during this time I have not wavered in providing true public service to the great people of Nebraska's Third District. My team stands ready to assist all constituents in any way we can, please feel free to contact my offices in Scottsbluff or Grand Island and connect through my website at https://adriansmith.house.gov/.
By Rep. Adrian Smith In response to both burdensome and unnecessary regulations coming from the Biden White House, I am launching a Regulation Rewind initiative. President Biden has not held office for 100 days yet and we are already experiencing his bureaucratic overreach. Because we know we can expect more Executive Orders from this administration, my initiative will be an ongoing project to call attention to harmful regulations and stand against them on behalf of the Third District. I remain committed to finding solutions to the overreach of federal government, whether through letters to agency heads or the President himself, introducing legislation to combat these problematic regulations, or addressing the underlying structural problems which can facilitate overreach regardless of who holds the White House. If we can come together in a bipartisan fashion to reform the incentives which allow Presidents from both parties to substitute their own judgment for legislating, we will have better more thoughtful decisions and policies. For this reason, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, or REINS Act, is legislation I have continuously supported regardless of administration. The REINS Act is crucial to increasing oversight and improving the regulatory process by requiring major regulations - those estimated to cost the public more than $100 million -- to be approved by Congress. This bill would improve the checks and balances between our branches of government that our Constitution envisions, and I will have again cosponsored it. President Biden's Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, also known as 30 by 30, is just one example of a recent initiative that will negatively impact Nebraskans. The 30 by 30 Executive Order establishes a goal to conserve at least 30% of our land and waters by the year 2030. I have heard firsthand from Nebraskans concerned about what this would mean for landowners, farms, and communities who rely economically on land-based activities. With over 90% of land managed by the federal government being west of the Mississippi, this order seems certain to disproportionately impact Western rural communities in states like Nebraska, which is why I signed a letter demanding more information on the issue. I will continue to not only identify problematic regulations but encourage action on progress we have made over the past four years. For instance, our nation's trade agreements and relationships have made great strides during the previous administration, and I want to ensure this progress is not unraveled by the Biden Administration. I recently sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack urging him to enforce the Phase One China Agreement. Following the signing of the China Phase One deal, 2020 was a record setting year for the United States exporting agriculture goods and products to China. We must continue discussions towards a second phase of negotiations and continue to benefit our agriculture communities. These are just a few examples of my concerns with the Biden Administration and the actions I have taken to challenge executive overreach. I hope you will follow my Regulation Rewind initiative and continue to check in on this project as I identify problematic regulations and work to prevent further overreach. You can visit my website for updates on the Regulation Rewind, and please reach out to my office with any concerns you have regarding the impact of such problematic regulations at https://adriansmith.house.gov/.
By Rep. Adrian Smith Many of the steps we have taken to physically and economically combat COVID-19 have received widespread coverage, such as social distancing, wearing of masks, and quarantining. The most critical measure, however, has largely been going on behind the scenes and deserves our attention. Developing a vaccine for COVID-19 is the only way to defeat the virus, potentially helping billions of people worldwide. Vaccine development has been a top priority of our COVID response, with Congress and President Trump working together on several important actions made possible by the CARES Act. This effort, known as Operation Warp Speed, mobilized early funding appropriated by Congress to create a key, new partnership between government agencies such as the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and private companies. The ultimate goal is to develop and distribute vaccines by the end of the year while maintaining our nation's top safety standards. Operation Warp Speed provides the fastest possible route to a safe, effective vaccine by ensuring it receives top priority consideration by all involved parties. Any new development toward a COVID vaccine will move to the front of the line for FDA approval. Usually, companies must wait months, or even years, in this approval process line, which can be further slowed by paperwork delays and other regulatory bottlenecks. Companies working on COVID vaccines have been able to complete multiple steps in the development process simultaneously, instead of waiting for each step to be completed sequentially. This means work can be done on manufacturing and distribution logistics while the potential vaccine is going through the normal approval process, potentially saving huge amounts of time. Meanwhile, with funds appropriated by Congress, the administration is establishing manufacturing lines in advance of approval and preordering hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to ensure the fastest possible rollout of vaccines to the public. The CARES Act incentivized American companies to lead the way in a worldwide race to find a vaccine. Incentivizing not one company but many to strive for the vaccine helps ensure the American way of competition to ultimately obtain the best result. Progress is being made and we are even seeing some vaccine candidates at the clinical trial phase with adult volunteers. It is inspiring to see the innovation potential of American pharmaceutical companies showcased for the world. We must continue to unleash our capacity for innovation. We are all in this fight together and I appreciate the leadership shown by President Trump. American ingenuity can once again change the world as we know it -- this time by eradicating COVID-19.
