April 8, 2025
Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To require the Secretary of Defense to establish or designate an office in the Department of Defense to serve as the lead for all quantum efforts of the Department, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Quantum National Security Coordination and Competition Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. National security quantum coordination and competition
(a) Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition
(1) Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish or designate an office in the Department of Defense to serve as the lead for all quantum efforts of the Department relating to the following:
(A)
Quantum technology research, including quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(B)
Quantum technology development, including quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(C)
Quantum technology application, including quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(D)
Quantum technology policy, including quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(E)
Such other quantum related efforts as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(2) Designation
The office established or designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be known as the Department of Defense Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition
(in this section the Office
).
(3) Primary mission
The primary mission of the Office shall be coordinating, leading, and directing quantum technology efforts of the Department in order—
(A)
to advance Department research efforts in quantum technology;
(B)
to develop quantum technology expertise that enables advancements in United States national security capabilities;
(C)
to aggressively pursue a national competitive advantage in quantum technology, vis-à-vis other countries; and
(D)
to develop quantum technologies that can be utilized for real-world application by the Department of Defense or other United States national security entities.
(b) Coordination with other quantum efforts
(1) In general
The Secretary shall, acting through the Office, regularly coordinate with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies that work on quantum science, quantum technology, or quantum research.
(2) Quantum Coordination Office for National Security
(A) In general
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish within the Office a subcomponent to liaise with, share expertise with, and whenever feasible, coordinate and, if necessary, deconflict efforts with other relevant U.S. government entities pursuing efforts on quantum science, quantum technology, or quantum research.
(B) Designation
The subcomponent established pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be known as the Quantum Coordination Office for National Security
.
(c) Triennial reports
(1) In general
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every three years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on national security quantum capabilities and competition.
(2) Contents generally
Each report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall cover the following:
(A)
The state of current quantum efforts within the Department of Defense, including specific sections on quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(B)
The state of current quantum efforts of adversarial and competitor countries, including specific sections on quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(C)
The state of current quantum efforts of any other countries with advanced capabilities in quantum technology and quantum science, including specific sections on quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(D)
A comparison of the capabilities of the United States and those of adversarial and competitor countries, as well as any other countries with advanced capabilities in quantum technology and quantum science.
(E)
An assessment of capabilities of the United States compared to those of China, Russia, and Iran, combined with an assessment of how such countries (in addition to any other countries the Secretary considers relevant) may utilize quantum technology in a conflict against the United States or allies and partners of the United States, including via hybrid warfare.
(F)
A realistic pathway forward, both short term (3 years) and long term (10 years and beyond), for the United States to compete with and outpace other countries in quantum technology and quantum science in regard to national security.
(3) Contents of initial report
In addition to the matter covered by paragraph (2), the first report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include an annex on quantum communication efforts that covers the following:
(A)
The current state of United States national security quantum communications technology and capabilities.
(B)
A comparison of the national security quantum communications technology and capabilities of the United States compared to that of China, Russia, Iran, and such other countries as the Secretary considers relevant.
(C)
An immediate (2 years) and long-term (10 years and beyond) plan—
(i)
to close any gaps that may exist between national security quantum communications technology and capabilities of the United States and those of China, Russia, Iran, and such other countries as the Secretary considers relevant; and
(ii)
to outpace the quantum communications technology and capabilities for China, Russia, Iran, and such other countries as the Secretary considers relevant.
(4) Form
Each report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in classified form.
(5) Appropriate committees of Congress defined
In this subsection, the term appropriate committees of Congress means—
(A)
the Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B)
the Committee on Armed Services, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.
(d) Protection of national security
The Secretary shall carry out this section in accordance with all applicable provisions of law and policies relating to classified information and national security.
(e) Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any action that is not consistent with a provision of law or policy that was in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.