Sponsors (4)
The bill helps protect critical infrastructure and broad swaths of organizations from future quantum threats and boosts related research, but the benefits may be delayed, partially underfunded for costly migrations, and impose added administrative costs on government and taxpayers.
Critical infrastructure operators and financial institutions will gain access to technical assistance and grant funding to adopt post‑quantum cryptography, reducing their risk from future quantum-enabled attacks.
State and local governments, small businesses, and other organizations nationwide will have publicly available guidance and resources to simplify planning and implementing migration to post‑quantum cryptographic standards.
Scientists, researchers, and students will benefit from expanded federal research funding and innovation because post‑quantum cryptography is added as an NSF research priority.
State and local governments, small businesses, and other eligible organizations may face delays receiving assistance because the grant program depends on future appropriations and the issuance of NIST standards.
Utilities, energy companies, and financial institutions may still lack sufficient funds to complete full migration because grant awards are capped at amounts set by the NIST Director.
Taxpayers and federal employees could face increased administrative workload and costs due to expanded NIST responsibilities and interagency coordination requirements.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds post‑quantum cryptography to federal research priorities and creates a NIST grant program to support voluntary adoption of post‑quantum standards, subject to appropriations.
Introduced May 7, 2025 by Haley Stevens · Last progress May 7, 2025
Establishes a NIST role and voluntary grant program to help agencies and critical infrastructure operators adopt post-quantum cryptography (algorithms resistant to quantum computers). It adds definitions for key terms and requires NIST to consult with DHS and sector risk management agencies when promoting and supporting deployment. The bill also adds post-quantum cryptography to NSF's list of computer and network security research areas. Grants are optional, may cover reasonable costs up to amounts set by the NIST Director, and depend on appropriations and issuance of post-quantum standards.