Sponsors (4)
The bill advances U.S. quantum leadership and expands training and funding opportunities for researchers and students through clearer definitions and targeted international programs, but it constrains which foreign partners qualify, provides modest and time-limited funding, and adds compliance burdens that may limit collaboration and participation.
Researchers, university teams, and students gain new opportunities through competitive matching grants and multi-day to multi-year exchange programs that expand international training and collaboration (with clearer eligibility tied to defined institutional terms).
U.S. tech workers and researchers benefit from strengthened U.S. leadership in quantum technology because grants are aligned with the National Quantum Information Science Strategy and federal quantum bodies are coordinated.
Researchers and companies get clearer statutory definitions (e.g., 'quantum information science' and adoption of the HEA 'institution of higher education' term), reducing ambiguity for grant eligibility and regulatory scope.
Researchers and students face reduced collaboration options because the program limits partners to Five Eyes or countries with signed quantum statements and prohibits funding with defined 'foreign adversaries,' excluding many potential scientific partners and creating compliance challenges.
Universities and research teams may experience increased administrative burden—additional coordination, reporting, and compliance—that could slow grant awards and raise institutional costs.
Researchers and institutions face limited financial scale and long-term certainty because the bill authorizes only $20 million for FY2026 and the program sunsets after 10 years.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a State Department matching-grant and exchange program to fund international quantum research with vetted partner countries, bans funding to defined 'foreign adversaries,' and authorizes $20M for FY2026.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by Jeanne Shaheen · Last progress April 9, 2025
Creates a State Department program that awards competitive matching grants and supports exchange visits to fund international collaborative research in quantum information science at U.S. colleges, universities, and eligible nonprofits. Grants must align with the national quantum strategy, may only partner with countries that have formal quantum cooperation statements or are Five Eyes members, and cannot fund research with countries designated as “foreign adversaries.” Requires coordination with federal science and quantum offices, compliance with existing research-security authorities, stakeholder consultation, and annual reporting; authorizes $20 million for FY2026 and sunsets after 10 years.