Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Lawmakers are unlikely to pass meaningful quantum legislation this year.
Why it matters: Congress has let the National Quantum Initiative Act expire for more than a year, and lawmakers recently decided not to add language to the must-pass annual defense policy bill.
- Quantum backers say U.S. leadership on the technology is key for economic and national security as other countries invest heavily.
State of play: The incoming chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz, wants to wait until next year.
- "Quantum technology research implicates both our economic and national security," a spokesperson for committee Republicans, Christian McMullen, said in a statement.
- "Which is why Sen. Cruz looks forward to working with his colleagues next Congress to review legislation that accelerates the development of these cutting-edge technologies and positions them to drive economic growth," McMullen added.
Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell unveiled a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the program last week.
- The House Science Committee advanced reauthorization legislation in November 2023.
- The Senate process was more complicated, having to pre-conference and align the Commerce bill with one from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House, a Commerce committee policy aide said.
- Cantwell's team worked on the bill for more than two years, consulting extensively with academic and industry stakeholders, the aide added.
Yes, but: Waiting until after the election and with only a few weeks left of this Congress makes it unlikely the bill will cross the finish line.
- There's little political incentive among Republicans to move legislation before the new Congress and Trump administration come in.
The National Defense Authorization Act also did not end up including any language to spur the adoption of near-term quantum technology.
- Instead, it asked for a report on how the Defense Department could use quantum.
- "We don't need another report," Quantum computing company D-Wave's Allison Schwartz said. "What is needed is a strong quantum application development and adoption program that includes all quantum computing technologies."
What they're saying: Quantum Industry Coalition founder Paul Stimers said the group strongly supports three things that are similar in both the Senate Commerce and House Science bills:
- A recognition of the diversity of quantum technology architectures; a focus on near-term applications; and a method for agencies to learn how quantum can help advance their missions and acquire quantum computers.
Stimers' group represents companies like Google, Microsoft and D-Wave and consulted with the Senate Commerce and House Science committees on their respective bills.
- Industry has its eyes set on President-elect Trump, who championed quantum in his first administration, signing the first National Quantum Initiative Act into law.
There are several incoming Trump administration officials who support quantum, including:
- UN Ambassador nominee Rep. Elise Stefanik, who pushed DoD to accelerate adoption of quantum computing applications and could represent the U.S. in 2025, the year of quantum for the UN.
- Homeland Security Department Secretary nominee Gov. Kristi Noem, who signed a bill to bring a quantum center to South Dakota.
- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator nominee Lee Zeldin, who as a congressman co-sponsored the QUEST Act.
- Secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio, who co-sponsored the first National Quantum Initiative.
- Trump's pick for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, who has previously testified that the U.S. has to focus on quantum.
- National Security Advisor nominee Rep. Mike Waltz, who has spoken about the need for international cooperation on quantum.
