There has been a lot of recent political action in the United States to provide support for the advancement of quantum tech. We cover them here.
The Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate (S.1344) by Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Ben Luján (D-TN) as well as in the U.S. House (H.R.3220) by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Randy Weber (R-TX), and Richard Hudson (R-NC). The bill aims to increase quantum technology commercial advancement through the creation of a quantum sandbox program. This program allows government and industry partners to come together through the establishment of a public-private partnership to develop and deploy quantum and quantum-hybrid applications for near-term use. Both the Senate and the House bills have been referred to committee for deliberation and possible amendment before taken for a vote. You can track the text and the progress of the Senate version of the bill on the U.S. Congress website here. You can track the progress of the House version of the bill here. In addition, congressman Jay Obernolte has issued a press release announcing the introduction of the House bill on his congressional website here. And another press release from Senator Marsha Blackburn announcing several of the quantum related bills she has introduced in the Senate can be seen here.
The Texas state House of Representatives passed HB 4751, the Texas Quantum Initiative. This initiative aims to position Texas as a national leader in quantum technology by fostering advancements in quantum computing, networking, and sensing technologies. This initiative calls for activities to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for quantum tech in the state, attract new quantum computing and networking projects and partners to Texas, expand opportunities for workforce training, support the development of a quantum manufacturing supply chain within the state, and other related things. It will be administered by a seven member executive committee that will develop the plans, administer the allocated funds, and submit reports on the progress. A Quantum University and Business Innovation for Texas Fund will be established as a dedicated account within the general revenue fund and funds will include gifts, grants, donations, and money from other sources designated by the legislature. The bill has been sent to the Texas Senate where it must be passed and signed by the governor before it becomes law. If passed and signed, it would take effect on September 1, 2025. The summary of the bill is available on a Texas state government website here and the full text can be accessed here.
On May 7, 2025, the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology convened a full committee hearing titled “From Policy to Progress: How the National Quantum Initiative Shapes U.S. Quantum Technology Leadership.” This session assessed the progress of the National Quantum Initiative Act (NQIA) since its inception in 2018. The original act terminated at the end of Fiscal 2023 on September 30, 2023 and part of the discussion included a deliberation on its potential reauthorization.
Witnesses for the session included the following individuals:
- Dr. Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C)
- Dr. Charina Chou, COO and Director of Google Quantum AI
- Dr. Pete Shadbolt, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of PsiQuantum
- Dr. Charles Tahan, Partner at Microsoft Quantum
The discussions during the hearing included the achievements of the NQIA and the need to have it reauthorized. Also discussed was the important for the United States to maintain a competitiive edge, particularly versus China. Another topic mentioned was the need to support workforce development programs to help meet industry demands.
A video recording of the opening remarks from Committee Chairman Brian Babban and the following remarks from the witnesses can be viewed here.
May 10, 2025
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