Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced three quantum tech-related bills on April 9 which she says will bolster development, manufacturing, and defense applications of quantum technology.
All three pieces of legislation have bipartisan backing, including a different Democratic senator on each bill. Introduction of the legislation follows priorities Sen. Blackburn had outlined earlier this year regarding increased investment in quantum science.
Among the three bills introduced this week, those priorities included the revival of the National Quantum Initiative Act which established a Federal program to accelerate quantum research and development. A National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act was introduced in Congress late last year but has not yet been reintroduced in the new Congress.
“Tennessee is among the states leading the nation in quantum development, and we need to continue building on this momentum to strengthen quantum technology across the nation,” said Sen. Blackburn in a statement. “These bills would provide a strategic roadmap for quantum development, promote continued innovation, and supercharge the Defense Department’s approach to quantum technology to advance our national security.”
The first of the three bills, the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act, co-sponsored with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., aims to accelerate the Department of Defense’s (DoD) development and integration of quantum technology through the creation of a “strategic quantum roadmap.” It would also authorize a defense quantum technology testbed for the Defense Innovation Unit to “successfully execute the transition of near-term quantum capabilities.”
The legislation also directs the Secretary of Defense to designate a Principal Quantum Advisor who will oversee transitions from the science and research stage of quantum technology to operationalization.
The Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., would amend the National Quantum Initiative Act by prioritizing near-term quantum application development and acceleration. It would establish a quantum sandbox through a private-public partnership that would be overseen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and engage the Quantum Economic Development Consortium and the National Laboratories, among additional research centers and industry members.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., introduced with the Advancing Quantum Manufacturing Act alongside Sen. Blackburn to create a “Manufacturing USA Institute for Quantum Manufacturing.”
The bill aims to improve coordination between the Department of Energy (DoE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) by designating a liaison between the two agencies, with the additional aim of avoiding “unnecessary duplication” of Federal quantum research activities under the National Quantum Initiative Program.