U.S. Ramps Up Quantum, Appoints 15 Experts, Passes a Bill

On December 9, in a White House statement [1], President Biden appointed 15 quantum information science experts to the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC) to advance the U.S. National Quantum Initiative, and on December 10, the U.S. Senate passed the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act [2] to advance the national security federal government by preparing to strengthen quantum computing-enabled data breach defense measures. The bill has thus far passed the House and Senate and was eventually signed and released by the President of the United States.

01National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC)

The U.S. National Quantum Initiative (NQIAC) is a whole-of-government program designed to ensure that the United States continues to lead in quantum information science [3]. The revolutionary technologies involved include quantum computers, quantum networks, and quantum sensors.NQIAC was established under the authority of the National Quantum Initiative Act to "provide recommendations to the President [...] advise and make recommendations for the President to consider in reviewing and revising the [National Quantum Initiative] program." Biden strengthened the NQIAC through a May 2022 executive order that elevated the council to a presidential advisory committee, emphasizing that the National Quantum Initiative is a whole-of-government effort that goes beyond any one federal agency.

The quantum information experts announced include.

Dr. Kathryn Ann Moler, co-chair

Dr. Charles G. Tahan, Co-Chair

Dr. Jamil Abo-Shaeer, Member

Dr. Fred Chong, Member

Dr. James S. Clarke, Member

Dr. Deborah Ann Frincke, Member

Gilbert V. Herrera, Member

Dr. Nadya Mason, Member

Dr. William D. Oliver, Member

Dr. John Preskill, Member

Dr. Mark B. Ritter, Member

Dr. Robert J. Schoelkopf, Member

Dr. Krysta M. Svore, Member

Dr. Jun Ye, Member

Dr. Jinliu Wang, Member

02Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Prevention Act

On December 10, Republican Senator Rob Portman and Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, senior members of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced that the Senate passed its bipartisan Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act to strengthen national security by preparing the federal government for quantum computing-based data breaches.

As quantum computers, including those developed by U.S. adversaries, continue to become more powerful and more widely available, federal agencies must work aggressively to ensure that federal cybersecurity protections remain up to date. The bipartisan House bill was introduced by Representatives Nancy Mace and Ro Khanna.

"Not only should our nation lead the world in the development of quantum technology, but we should also lead the way in post-quantum cybersecurity standards across the government," said Rep. Mace, "The passage of this bill is a critical step in ensuring our nation is protected from future threats and prepared for the technological leap a critical step forward."

"As quantum computing advances, we need to take steps to protect Americans' personal data as well as the data of U.S. national security and government agencies," said Rep. Khanna: "I am pleased that the Senate passed this bill to proactively secure our systems and valuable data and establish Congress' oversight role in the process."

The Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Prevention Act would

Require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prioritize the procurement and migration of federal agencies' information technology to quantum-resistant cryptography.

Direct OMB to develop guidance for federal agencies to evaluate critical systems one year after the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) releases its planned quantum-resistant cryptography standard.

Direct OMB to send an annual report to Congress that includes strategies on how to address quantum-resistant cryptographic risks, funding that may be needed, and techniques for analyzing government-wide coordination and migration to quantum-resistant cryptographic standards and information.

Reference Links：

[1]https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/09/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-14/

[2]https://estonianfreepress.com/cybersecurity/quantum-computing-cybersecurity-act-passes-senate/

[3]https://www.quantum.gov/