[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2450 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2450

   To improve coordination between the Department of Energy and the 
    National Science Foundation on activities carried out under the 
      National Quantum Initiative Program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2023

 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve coordination between the Department of Energy and the 
    National Science Foundation on activities carried out under the 
      National Quantum Initiative Program, 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. COORDINATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL 
              SCIENCE FOUNDATION ON ACTIVITIES UNDER NATIONAL QUANTUM 
              INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--Section 102 of the National Quantum Initiative Act 
(15 U.S.C. 8812) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Liaison Between Department of Energy and National Science 
Foundation.--The Director of the Coordination Office shall appoint a 
member of the staff of the Coordination Office to serve as a liaison 
between the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to 
ensure the coordination, and avoid unnecessary duplication, of the 
Department and the Foundation activities under the Program.''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that activities 
and research carried out by the Department of Energy and the National 
Science Foundation should include, to the extent practicable, all 
quantum information science technologies, as well as critical quantum-
enabling technologies, including--
            (1) gate-based quantum computing;
            (2) annealing-based quantum computing;
            (3) quantum bit (qubit) technologies, including those based 
        on--
                    (A) topological materials;
                    (B) photons;
                    (C) trapped ions;
                    (D) neutral atoms;
                    (E) silicon;
                    (F) superconducting devices; and
                    (G) any other viable quantum technology; and
            (4) quantum-enabling technologies, including--
                    (A) single photon sources;
                    (B) lasers;
                    (C) radio frequency, microwave, and other 
                electronics;
                    (D) electron spin;
                    (E) cryogenic technologies;
                    (F) low-disorder or low-defect materials 
                development and fabrication; and
                    (G) any other critical enabling technology.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF MANUFACTURING USA INSTITUTE FOR QUANTUM 
              MANUFACTURING.

    (a) Definition of Manufacturing USA Institute.--In this section, 
the term ``Manufacturing USA institute'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 34(d) of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(d)).
    (b) Establishment of Manufacturing USA Institute.--The Secretary of 
Commerce, acting through the Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, and in consultation with the Secretary of 
Energy, shall--
            (1) determine the manufacturing capabilities necessary to 
        produce reliable quantum components and systems at scale and 
        the gaps in access to such capabilities; and
            (2) establish, or award financial assistance, under section 
        34(e)(1) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(e)(1)) to plan, establish, or support, a 
        Manufacturing USA institute that--
                    (A) provides an end-to-end manufacturing ecosystem 
                addressing quantum computing, quantum sensing, and 
                quantum communication;
                    (B) includes within the end-to-end ecosystem 
                provided pursuant to paragraph (1) the capability to 
                design, fabricate, and test materials, devices, 
                structures, and manufacturing processes for quantum 
                technologies or systems, as well as the capacity to 
                develop and create jobs for a coordinated advanced 
                manufacturing and quantum engineering workforce;
                    (C) provides access to prototyping, both at 
                research scale and commercial scale, for researchers 
                and developers working on quantum component 
                technologies and systems and manufacturing process 
                innovations to facilitate the transition into scalable, 
                cost-effective, and high-performing manufacturing 
                capabilities;
                    (D) supports the development of a resilient quantum 
                supply chain with an emphasis on key components and 
                supply from allies of the United States, that enables 
                quantum technologies, and increases the domestic 
                production of goods critical to national security and 
                economic competitiveness; and
                    (E) supports development of a workforce with skills 
                relevant to manufacture of quantum components and 
                systems.

SEC. 3. STUDIES RELATING TO NATIONAL QUANTUM INITIATIVE PROGRAM.

    (a) Independent Study on Progress Made by National Quantum 
Initiative Program.--
            (1) Agreement.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall seek to enter into an agreement with 
        the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 
        (in this subsection the ``National Academies'') to perform the 
        services covered by this section.
            (2) Independent study.--Under an agreement between the 
        Director and the National Academies under this subsection, the 
        National Academies shall carry out an independent study to 
        assess the progress made by the National Quantum Initiative 
        Program in achieving the purposes set forth under section 3 of 
        the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8802) and the 
        goals of the Program, including with respect to sensing, 
        communications, computing, and workforce development for near-
        term development and quantum applications.
    (b) Study on Impediments to Collaboration Under National Quantum 
Initiative Program.--
            (1) Study and report.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the consortium convened by 
        the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology pursuant to section 201(b)(1) of the National 
        Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8831(b)(1)) shall--
                    (A) conduct a study--
                            (i) on the impediments to collaboration 
                        under the National Quantum Initiative Program 
                        implemented pursuant to section 101(a) of such 
                        Act (15 U.S.C. 8811(a)) between 
                        Multidisciplinary Centers for Quantum Research 
                        and Education established under section 302(a) 
                        of such Act (15 U.S.C. 8842(a)), National 
                        Quantum Information Science Research Centers 
                        established and operated pursuant to section 
                        402(a)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 8852(a)(1)), 
                        industry, and academia; and
                            (ii) to develop recommendations for 
                        legislative action to eliminate or mitigate 
                        such impediments; and
                    (B) submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
                Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
                Representatives a report on the findings of the 
                consortium with respect to the study conducted pursuant 
                to paragraph (1).
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1)(B) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) An overview of the current state of research 
                being conducted under the National Quantum Initiative 
                Program.
                    (B) A breakdown of the funding under the Program 
                for near-term quantum applications development, 
                disaggregated by different quantum technologies, 
                including computing (annealing and gate-model with the 
                different types of qubit technologies), sensing, 
                communication, and networking.
                    (C) Identification of potential risks in the 
                research funded under the Program.
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