U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have submitted a bipartisan amendment, SA 3684, to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. The amendment, titled “Strategy for Federal Agency Migration to Post-quantum Cryptography,” aims to establish a coordinated national strategy for the federal government’s transition to quantum-resistant cybersecurity standards.
The legislation directs the Subcommittee on the Economic and Security Implications of Quantum Information Science (ESIX) to develop a National Quantum Cybersecurity Migration Strategy within 180 days of the Act’s enactment. This strategy will include a definition of a “cryptographically relevant quantum computer,” as well as standards for agencies to assess the urgency of their PQC migration. The amendment defines “post-quantum cryptography” as cryptographic algorithms that are not specifically vulnerable to attacks by either a quantum computer or classical computer. It also outlines performance measures for a four-stage migration process, from preparation to monitoring.
The ESIX Subcommittee is also mandated to establish a post-quantum pilot program, which requires each sector risk management agency to upgrade at least one high-impact system to PQC by January 1, 2027. Additionally, the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government is directed to survey federal agencies to determine the costs of PQC migration, identify necessary funding, and advise on how to encourage private sector adoption.
The legislation mandates a report to Congress within one year, detailing the findings from the strategy, the pilot program, and the cost survey. Subsequently, the Comptroller General of the United States will be required to submit an annual assessment of each federal agency’s progress. This bill represents an effort to establish a coordinated national strategy to secure federal systems with quantum-resistant standards.
Read the amendment text on congress.gov here and the press release from Senator Gary Peters here.
August 6, 2025
