Post Quantum Cybersecurity Standards Act

This bill helps the country move to new encryption that can stand up to future quantum computers. It tells the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to share easy-to-use guidance and public resources, and to offer technical help to groups most at risk, like operators of critical services and digital infrastructure. Following these new standards is voluntary, but the goal is wide adoption across the economy.

After NIST publishes the new standards, it may run a grant program (if funded) to help high‑risk groups pay reasonable costs to switch to the new encryption and fix related security gaps. NIST can set the rules for who qualifies and how much support they can get, and will coordinate with Homeland Security and other agencies while doing so. The bill also updates federal programs to support cryptography work at NIST and research efforts, aiming to speed up this transition nationwide.

Key points

• Who is affected: Operators of critical services and digital infrastructure; other organizations that need to update their security to resist future quantum attacks.
• What changes: More plain-language guidance and technical help from NIST; potential grants to cover reasonable costs to adopt post‑quantum encryption and fix weaknesses; added definitions to guide this work.
• When: Grants can start only after NIST issues the new standards and if funding is available.