Sponsors (20)
The bill sharply increases U.S. investment, coordination, and workforce-building for quantum science—boosting commercialization, standards, and security—while creating higher federal costs, tighter security‑driven limits on international collaboration, added bureaucracy, and pressure to favor applied/industry‑oriented work over some basic research.
Researchers, tech workers, startups, and universities gain substantially expanded and sustained federal support (prizes, multi‑year centers, NIST/NSF programs, testbeds, facility access and program continuity) that enables longer‑term projects, hiring, and commercialization pathways.
Students, educators, community colleges, and underrepresented groups get expanded K–12-to-graduate education, traineeships, internships, curricula, and outreach that strengthen the domestic quantum talent pipeline and broaden participation.
U.S. companies and small businesses gain better support for commercialization, standards, supply‑chain studies, and public–private partnerships that improve market adoption, interoperability, and competitiveness.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending and longer‑term budget commitments to new centers, grants, NIST/NSF programs, prize competitions, and Office staff and studies that could raise fiscal costs if appropriations are provided.
Researchers, universities, and international students may see restrictions on collaborations, funding, visitors, and vendor sourcing because of bans or limitations tied to Confucius Institutes and 'countries of concern,' slowing some international partnerships and creating immigration uncertainty for foreign talent.
Academic researchers, students, and basic‑science programs risk reduced emphasis or funding as centers, reporting, and self‑sustainability pressures push projects toward commercialization, applied 'technology' outcomes, or industry partnerships.
Based on analysis of 40 sections of legislative text.
Reauthorizes and expands the National Quantum Initiative: funds centers and workforce hubs, boosts NIST/NSF roles, tightens security/supply‑chain rules, and ends the National Nanotechnology Program.
Official title: Reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative Act, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 8, 2026 by Todd Young · Last progress January 8, 2026
Creates a major update to the National Quantum Initiative to speed U.S. development, deployment, workforce training, standards, and secure supply chains for quantum information science, engineering, and technology. It authorizes prize competitions, new NIST-funded quantum centers, expanded NSF centers and traineeships, a national workforce Hub, strengthened interagency coordination and reporting, new definitions for foreign entities of concern, an international cooperation strategy, and a GAO and OSTP review of regulatory burdens. Also extends the Initiative’s statutory life, adds national-security and supply-chain protections (including new foreign‑entity/country definitions), directs more international engagement and standards work, and requires OSTP to produce an International Quantum Cooperation Strategy. The bill terminates the National Nanotechnology Program on a 180‑day wind‑down timetable and increases congressional reporting and oversight.