119-s1346

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1346 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1346

To direct the Secretary of Defense to accelerate the implementation of 
 quantum information science technologies within the Department of 
 Defense, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 8, 2025

 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Ms. Hassan) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed 
 Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to accelerate the implementation of 
 quantum information science technologies within the Department of 
 Defense, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. JOINT QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCE DEFENSE TRANSITION 
 ACTIVITIES.

 Chapter 301 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting after 

section 4001 the following new section:
``

Sec. 4002. Joint quantum information science defense transition 
 activities
 ``

    (a) Activities Required.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
 a set of activities to accelerate the adoption and 
 implementation quantum information science technology within 
 the Department of Defense.
 ``

    (2) Elements.--Pursuant to the activities established 
 under paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary, acting through the 
 Principal Quantum Advisor designated under subsection

    (b) , 
 shall--
 ``
        (A) explore and identify quantum information 
 science technologies and use cases that--
 ``
            (i) have demonstrated value in advancing 
 the priorities and missions of the Department; 
 and
 ``
            (ii) may be applied to address 
 operational problems;
 ``
        (B) develop plans to transition such quantum 
 information science technologies from the research and 
 development phase to operational use within the 
 Department, including within each of the Armed Forces; 
 and
 ``
            (C) carry out such transition plans.
 ``

    (b) Designation of Principal Quantum Advisor.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
 of the enactment of the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 
 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall designate a senior 
 official of the Department of Defense to serve as the Principal 
 Quantum Advisor for the Department.
 ``

    (2) Responsibilities.--The Principal Quantum Advisor 
 shall serve as the official within the Department of Defense 
 with principal responsibility for--
 ``
        (A) coordinating activities relating to the 
 accelerated demonstration and transition of quantum 
 information science technologies for applications 
 specific to operational challenges faced by the 
 Department;
 ``
        (B) coordinating, overseeing, and managing the 
 set of activities established under subsection

    (a) ;
 ``
            (C) carrying out the activities described in 
 paragraphs

    (3) through

    (6) ; and
 ``
            (D) carrying out such other duties relating to 
 the development and implementation of quantum 
 information science technologies as the Secretary may 
 direct.
 ``

    (3) Defining and codifying defense quantum information 
 science use cases.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Principal Quantum Advisor 
 shall--
 ``
            (i) identify operational challenges faced 
 by the Department of Defense that have the 
 potential to be addressed through the use of 
 quantum information science-technology based 
 solutions, including solutions based on the 
 quantum information science technology areas 
 described subparagraph
            (C) ;
 ``
            (ii) for each such challenge, determine 
 if the implementation of a quantum information 
 science technology-based solution has the 
 potential to be significantly more effective at 
 addressing such challenge compared to a non-
 quantum information science technology-based 
 solution, taking into account the technology 
 and manufacturing readiness level of the 
 quantum information science technology-based 
 solution;
 ``
            (iii) for each potential quantum 
 information science technology-based solution 
 identified under clause
            (ii) , evaluate and 
 determine the technology and manufacturing 
 readiness level of the solution taking into 
 account the current readiness level of such 
 solution--
 ``
            (I) within the Department;
 ``
            (II) among other departments and 
 agencies of the Federal Government;
 ``
            (III) among Five Eyes countries; 
 and
 ``
            (IV) within academia and 
 industry.
 ``
            (iv) for each quantum information science 
 technology-based solution determined under 
 clause
            (iii) to have a technology and 
 manufacturing readiness level of 5 or higher, 
 begin prototyping and evaluation activities of 
 such solution at scale in operationally 
 relevant environments by not later than the end 
 of fiscal year 2025; and
 ``
            (v) for each quantum information science 
 technology-based solution determined under 
 clause
            (iii) to have a technology and 
 manufacturing readiness level of 4 or lower, 
 submit to Congress a plan for funding such 
 solution over the period of five fiscal years 
 following the date of the report using 
 research, development, test, and evaluation 
 funds designated as budget activity 1 (basic 
 research), budget activity 2 (applied 
 research), budget activity 3 (advanced 
 technology development), or budget activity 4 
 (advanced component development and prototypes) 
 as those budget activity classifications are 
 set forth in volume 2B, chapter 5 of the 
 Department of Defense Financial Management 
 Regulation (DOD 7000.14-R), or successor 
 regulation.
 ``
        (B) Coordination.--In carrying out this 
 paragraph, the Principal Quantum Advisor shall 
 coordinate with and seek input from the Armed Forces 
 and unified combatant commands--
 ``
            (i) to identify and better understand the 
 operational requirements of such Armed Forces 
 and commands; and
 ``
            (ii) to ensure that the timeline for 
 transitioning any quantum information science 
 technology-based capability to operational use 
 within the Armed Forces and combatant commands 
 aligns with--
 ``
            (I) the plans of such Forces and 
 commands across the period covered by 
 the future-years defense program; and
 ``
            (II) the program objective 
 memorandum processes for such Forces 
 and commands.
 ``
            (C) Quantum information science technology areas 
 described.--The quantum information science technology 
 areas described in this subparagraph are the following:
 ``
            (i) Quantum sensing, including--
 ``
            (I) alternative precision 
 navigation and timing;
 ``
            (II) undersea or underground 
 detection;
 ``
            (III) advanced intelligence, 
 surveillance, and reconnaissance 
 quantum imaging techniques; and
 ``
            (IV) biomedical and health care.
 ``
            (ii) Quantum computing, including--
 ``
            (I) annealing;
 ``
            (II) quantum-enabled machine 
 learning;
 ``
            (III) simulation and 
 optimization; and
 ``
            (IV) integrating quantum 
 computing with high-performance 
 supercomputing.
 ``
            (iii) Quantum annealing.
 ``
            (iv) Quantum communications, networking, 
 and networked quantum computers.
 ``
            (v) Quantum-enabled modeling and 
 simulation.
 ``
            (vi) Hybrid quantum computing and the 
 integration of quantum and classical computing 
 components.
 ``
            (vii) Such other quantum-enabled 
 technologies as the Principal Quantum Advisor 
 considers appropriate.
 ``

    (4) Acceleration of development and fielding of quantum 
 information science technologies.--The Principal Quantum 
 Advisor shall--
 ``
        (A) use the flexibility of regulations, 
 personnel, acquisition, partnerships with industry and 
 academia, or other relevant policies of the Department 
 to accelerate the transition and fielding of quantum 
 information science technologies;
 ``
        (B) ensure engagement with combatant commands, 
 defense and private industries, research universities, 
 and unaffiliated, nonprofit research institutions on 
 matters relating such quantum information science 
 technologies; and
 ``
            (C) provide technical advice and support 
 organizations and elements of the Department of 
 Defense, including the Armed Forces, to optimize the 
 use of quantum information science technologies to meet 
 mission requirements.
 ``

    (5) Industry and academia engagement.--
 ``
        (A) Inclusion in consortium.--The Secretary, in 
 coordination with the Director of the National 
 Institute of Standards and Technology, shall ensure 
 that the Principal Quantum Advisor is included in the 
 activities of the consortium established pursuant to 
 

section 201

    (b) of the National Quantum Initiative Act 
 (15 U.S.C. 8831

    (b) ).
 ``
        (B) Outreach activities.--Not less frequently 
 than once each quarter, the Principal Quantum Advisor 
 shall conduct outreach and engagement with industry and 
 academic leaders--
 ``
            (i) to educate organizations in the 
 quantum information science industrial base on 
 national security quantum information science 
 use cases and operational challenges faced by 
 the Department that have the potential to be 
 addressed through the use of quantum 
 information science technology-based solutions 
 as described in paragraph

    (3) ;
 ``
            (ii) to the extent determined appropriate 
 by the Principal Quantum Advisor, provide 
 industry with the opportunity to identify 
 quantum information science technology-based 
 solutions to operational challenges faced by 
 the Department;
 ``
            (iii) to educate organizations in the 
 Defense industrial base on near-term and 
 commercially available quantum information 
 science technology-based solutions that provide 
 operationally relevant warfighting 
 capabilities;
 ``
            (iv) to advance relevant quantum 
 information science supply chains and 
 manufacturing capabilities within the United 
 States and among allies and partners of the 
 United States; and
 ``
            (v) to facilitate the commercialization 
 of quantum information science technology-based 
 solutions developed by the research and 
 engineering organizations of the Department of 
 Defense.
 ``

    (6) Allied quantum enhancement.--
 ``
        (A) Alignment with aukus efforts.--Based on the 
 quantum information science use cases identified under 
 paragraph

    (3)
        (A)
            (ii) , the Principal Quantum Advisor 
 shall--
 ``
            (i) identify areas in which the United 
 Kingdom and Australia, pursuant to Pillar II 
 the partnership among Australia, the United 
 Kingdom, and the United States (commonly known 
 as `AUKUS' ) are pursuing technology aligned 
 with such use cases; and
 ``
            (ii) align Department research and 
 development and procurement funding in relation 
 to quantum information science technologies on 
 accelerating opportunities where Australia and 
 the United Kingdom are pursuing such 
 technologies.
 ``
        (B) Multilateral aukus and nato meetings.--The 
 Principal Quantum Advisor shall organize--
 ``
            (i) a recurring multilateral meeting of 
 quantum technology experts from the United 
 States, the United Kingdom, and Australia to 
 facilitate information-sharing and planning 
 relevant to quantum information science 
 technology and defense-specific use cases for 
 such technology; and
 ``
            (ii) a recurring multilateral meeting of 
 quantum technology experts from member nations 
 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to 
 facilitate such information-sharing and 
 planning.
 ``
            (c) Strategic Plan.--
 ``

    (1) Plan required.--The Secretary shall develop strategic 
 plan to guide the development, assessment, procurement, and 
 implementation of quantum information science technologies 
 within the Department over the period of five years following 
 the date of the plan.
 ``

    (2) Elements.--The plan required under paragraph

    (1) shall include the following:
 ``
        (A) Plans for the continuous evaluation, 
 development, and implementation of quantum information 
 science technology solutions within the Department.
 ``
        (B) Plans for the development, review, 
 performance evaluation, and adoption of a fault-
 tolerant, utility-scale quantum computer and the 
 transition of that capability to appropriate 
 organizations and elements of the Department, including 
 the Armed Forces, and such other departments and 
 agencies of the Federal Government as the Secretary 
 determines appropriate.
 ``
            (C) Plans for allocating the resources of the 
 Department to ensure such resources are focused on 
 quantum information science technologies with the 
 potential to solve operational challenges.
 ``
            (D) Identification of quantum information science 
 technologies that--
 ``
            (i) have critical defense-specific 
 applications;
 ``
            (ii) cannot be adapted from commercially 
 available quantum information science 
 technology; and
 ``
            (iii) are unlikely to be pursued or 
 accelerated by industry because of limited 
 commercial value.
 ``
        (E) Plans for supporting the development of 
 capabilities identified under subparagraph
            (D) .
 ``
        (F) Plans to help strengthen the quantum 
 information science supply chain domestically and among 
 trusted allies and against untrusted adversaries, 
 including through an assessment of--
 ``
            (i) any associated strengths, weaknesses, 
 opportunities and threats; and
 ``
            (ii) critical components, suppliers, and 
 single points of failure.
 ``

    (3) Report to congress.--Not later than one year after 
 the date of the enactment of the Defense Quantum Acceleration 
 Act of 2025, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
 that includes the plan developed under paragraph

    (1) .
 ``
            (d) Commercial Security Strategy.--The Secretary shall adopt a 
comprehensive security strategy for commercially developed capabilities 
based on the guide utilized in the Underexplored Systems for Utility-
Scale Quantum Computing program of the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency.
 ``

    (e) National Security Quantum Information Science Adoption 
Acceleration Testbed.--
 ``

    (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
 consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary 
 of Energy, shall establish a national defense quantum 
 information science joint center of excellence (referred to in 
 this subsection as the `Center').
 ``

    (2) Organization.--The Center shall be operated by the 
 Secretary and shall include participation from at least the 
 following organizations:
 ``
        (A) One or more research laboratories of the 
 Armed Forces.
 ``
        (B) A National Laboratory (as defined in 

section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)).
 ``
            (C) A federally funded research and development 
 center or a university-affiliated research center.
 ``
            (D) Quantum information science companies.
 ``

    (3) Location.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
 the Center at a location in the United States that is 
 reasonably accessible to each organization described in 
 paragraph

    (2) .
 ``

    (4) Activities.--The Center shall carry out the following 
 activities:
 ``
        (A) Facilitate quantum information science 
 technology transition and workforce development 
 activities.
 ``
        (B) Conduct outreach to enhance industry and 
 academia's understanding of and contribution to 
 national security quantum information science 
 technology use cases and current operational challenges 
 faced by the Department.
 ``
            (C) Prototype quantum information science 
 technologies, with priority given to the prototyping 
 and transition of quantum information science-enabled 
 position, navigation, and timing efforts and quantum 
 sensors at technology readiness level six or higher.
 ``
            (D) Integrate the prototyping activities under 
 subparagraph
            (C) with the needs of the unified 
 combatant commands.
 ``
        (E) Accelerate the transition of advanced quantum 
 information science technology from the research and 
 development phase into operational use.
 ``
        (F) Expand the quantum information science 
 workforce of the United States and the quantum 
 information science workforces of nations that are 
 allies and partners of the United States.
 ``

    (5) Contract authority.--The Secretary may award grants 
 and enter into contracts and other agreements, on a competitive 
 basis, to support the activities of the Center.
 ``

    (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
 to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $20,000,000 for 
 each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
 ``

    (f) Research Opportunities and Workforce Planning.--
 ``

    (1) Enhancement of research opportunities.--Not later 
 than one year after the date of the enactment of Defense 
 Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025, the Secretary shall seek to 
 increase opportunities for the study of quantum information 
 science within--
 ``
        (A) the military service academies.
 ``
        (B) the Reserve Officers' Training Corps; and
 ``
            (C) other institutions and programs of the 
 Department and the Armed Forces that provide 
 postsecondary and graduate level education.
 ``

    (2) Standard operating procedures.--The Secretary shall 
 direct the chief of each Armed Force, in consultation with the 
 heads of the research laboratories under the jurisdiction of 
 such Armed Force--
 ``
        (A) to adopt internal standard operating 
 procedures for quantum information science workforce 
 development to monitor and evaluate progress toward 
 human capital goals and human capital programmatic 
 results; and
 ``
        (B) to involve top management, employees, and 
 other stakeholders in quantum information science 
 workforce planning by--
 ``
            (i) developing and implementing an 
 enterprise-wide strategic quantum workforce 
 plan; and
 ``
            (ii) communicating quantum workforce 
 goals, initiatives, and metrics for evaluating 
 success throughout each laboratory.
 ``

    (g) Budget Review.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall, acting through the 
 Under Secretary of Defense

    (Comptroller) , require the 
 Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of the 
 Defense Agencies with responsibilities associated with any 
 quantum information science activity to transmit the proposed 
 budget for such activities for a fiscal year and for the period 
 covered by the future-years defense program submitted to 
 Congress under 

section 221 of this title for that fiscal year 
 to the Principal Quantum Advisor for review before submitting 
 the proposed budget to the Under Secretary of Defense

    (Comptroller) .
 ``

    (2) Report to secretary.--The Principal Quantum Advisor 
 shall review each proposed budget transmitted, and, not later 
 than January 31 of the year preceding the fiscal year for which 
 the budget is proposed, shall submit to the Secretary a report 
 containing the comments of the Principal Quantum Advisor with 
 respect to all such proposed budgets, together with the 
 certification of the Principal Quantum Advisor regarding 
 whether each proposed budget is adequate.
 ``

    (3) Report to congress.--Not later than March 31 of each 
 year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a 
 report specifying each proposed budget that the Principal 
 Quantum Advisor did not certify to be adequate. The report of 
 the Secretary shall include the following matters:
 ``
        (A) A discussion of the actions that the 
 Secretary proposes to take, together with any 
 recommended legislation that the Secretary considers 
 appropriate, to address the inadequacy of the proposed 
 budgets specified in the report.
 ``
        (B) Any additional comments that the Secretary 
 considers appropriate regarding the inadequacy of the 
 proposed budgets.
 ``

    (h) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section;
 ``

    (1) The term `Five Eyes countries' means the following:
 ``
        (A) Australia.
 ``
        (B) Canada.
 ``
            (C) New Zealand.
 ``
            (D) The United Kingdom.
 ``
        (E) The United States.
 ``

    (2) The term `quantum information science' means the use 
 of the laws of quantum physics for the storage, transmission, 
 manipulation, computing, or measurement of information.''.
 <all>