Washington D.C. – Today, Congressman Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduced bipartisan companion legislation to improve coordination between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) on activities carried out under the National Quantum Initiative Program. As the House companion to Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-Tenn) and Senator Scott Peter’s (D-Mich) bipartisan bill, S. 2450, this legislation takes steps to build on federal efforts to understand and prepare for quantum technology, improve coordination of quantum research, and strengthen domestic manufacturing. 

“I am pleased to join my colleague Rep. Obernolte as the co-lead on this important bipartisan bill that will help advance our country’s efforts in developing quantum computing,” said Rep. Kevin Mullin. “This bill would pave the way for the technology to move from the lab to commercial applications. It would strengthen our global competitiveness and continue to build our innovation economy. Quantum computing has the potential to help the U.S. address some of the biggest challenges of our time, like climate change and safe artificial intelligence, as well as revolutionize a range of industries, including drug development, energy storage and transmission, and cybersecurity. I look forward to advancing the ideas in this legislation in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee alongside Rep. Obernolte.” 

“The National Quantum Initiative Program provides a crucial pathway for our public and private institutions to lead research and development of critical manufacturing technologies to strengthen U.S. global competitiveness, ensuring our country will reap the rewards of American innovation,” said Rep. Obernolte. “This legislation draws from my previous work on creating bipartisan quantum computing policy, and builds upon H.R. 2739, the Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act, to boost the public-private partnership for quantum development by improving coordination in key areas such as supply chain organization, workforce development, and global competitiveness.”   

Summary of what the legislation would do: 

• Establishes a liaison between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for activities related to quantum development. 
• Expresses a Sense of Congress that activities and research carried out by DOE and NSF should include all quantum information science technologies. 
• Presents studies to assess progress or any impediments under the National Quantum Initiative Program. 
• Establishes a Manufacturing USA Institute for Quantum Manufacturing. 

What they’re saying: 

D-Wave CEO Alan Baratz: “A successful U.S. quantum program hinges on collaboration between federal agencies and the domestic quantum industry, which is providing breakthrough innovations. Rep. Obernolte’s legislation rightly calls for the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to include all quantum technologies in future activities and research – including quantum annealing, which is available for production-scale use cases today. Quantum technology can provide solutions for public sector optimization challenges, such as infrastructure development, emergency response planning, and electrical grid resilience.”  

Additional information on H.R. 2739, the Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act, can be found here. 

Read Rep. Blackburn’s press release, here. 

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