[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3557-S3558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6438. Ms. HASSAN (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
SEC. __. NATIONAL SECURITY QUANTUM COORDINATION AND
COMPETITION.
(a) Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
establish or designate an office in the Department of Defense
to serve as the lead for all quantum efforts of the
Department relating to the following:
(A) Quantum technology research, including quantum sensing,
quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(B) Quantum technology development, including quantum
sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(C) Quantum technology application, including quantum
sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(D) Quantum technology policy, including quantum sensing,
quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(E) Such other quantum related efforts as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(2) Designation.--The office established or designated
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Department
of Defense Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition''
(in this section the ``Office'').
(3) Primary mission.--The primary mission of the Office
shall be coordinating, leading, and directing quantum
technology efforts of the Department in order--
(A) to advance Department research efforts in quantum
technology;
(B) to develop quantum technology expertise that enables
advancements in United States national security capabilities;
(C) to aggressively pursue a national competitive advantage
in quantum technology, vis-a-vis other countries; and
(D) to develop quantum technologies that can be utilized
for real-world application by the Department of Defense or
other United States national security entities.
(b) Coordination With Other Quantum Efforts.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, acting through the
Office, regularly coordinate with the heads of other Federal
departments and agencies that work on quantum science,
quantum technology, or quantum research.
(2) Quantum coordination office for national security.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall establish within the Office a subcomponent to
liaise with, share expertise with, and whenever feasible,
coordinate and, if necessary, deconflict efforts with other
relevant U.S. government entities pursuing efforts on quantum
science, quantum technology, or quantum research.
(B) Designation.--The subcomponent established pursuant to
subparagraph (A) shall be known as the ``Quantum Coordination
Office for National Security''.
(c) Triennial Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once
every three years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a report on national
security quantum capabilities and competition.
(2) Contents generally.--Each report submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall cover the following:
(A) The state of current quantum efforts within the
Department of Defense, including specific sections on quantum
sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(B) The state of current quantum efforts of adversarial and
competitor countries, including specific sections on quantum
sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(C) The state of current quantum efforts of any other
countries with advanced capabilities in quantum technology
and quantum science, including specific sections on quantum
sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
(D) A comparison of the capabilities of the United States
and those of adversarial and competitor countries, as well as
any other countries with advanced capabilities in quantum
technology and quantum science.
(E) An assessment of capabilities of the United States
compared to those of China, Russia, and Iran, combined with
an assessment of how such countries (in addition to any other
countries the Secretary considers relevant) may utilize
quantum technology in a conflict against the United States or
allies and partners of the United States, including via
hybrid warfare.
(F) A realistic pathway forward, both short term (3 years)
and long term (10 years and beyond), for the United States to
compete with and outpace other countries in quantum
technology and quantum science in regard to national
security.
(3) Contents of initial report.--In addition to the matter
covered by paragraph (2), the first report submitted pursuant
to paragraph (1) shall include an annex on quantum
communication efforts that covers the following:
(A) The current state of United States national security
quantum communications technology and capabilities.
(B) A comparison of the national security quantum
communications technology and capabilities of the United
States compared to that of China, Russia, Iran, and such
other countries as the Secretary considers relevant.
(C) An immediate (2 years) and long-term (10 years and
beyond) plan--
(i) to close any gaps that may exist between national
security quantum communications technology and capabilities
of the United States and those of China, Russia, Iran, and
such other countries as the Secretary considers relevant; and
(ii) to outpace the quantum communications technology and
capabilities for China, Russia, Iran, and such other
countries as the Secretary considers relevant.
(4) Form.--Each report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1)
shall be submitted in classified form.
[[Page S3558]]
(5) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee
on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.
(d) Protection of National Security.--The Secretary shall
carry out this section in accordance with all applicable
provisions of law and policies relating to classified
information and national security.
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require any action that is not consistent with a
provision of law or policy that was in effect on the day
before the date of the enactment of this Act.
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