Representatives Subramanyam and McGuire Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Safeguard U.S. Against Emerging Quantum Cybersecurity Threats

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) and Congressman John McGuire (R-VA-05) led introduction of the Quantum Encryption Readiness and Resilience Act, along with Representatives Haley Stevens (D-MI-11) and Pat Harrigan (R-NC-10). This critical bipartisan bill is designed to proactively prepare the United States for the national security challenges posed by advancements in quantum computing. The bill would establish a comprehensive national strategy to protect sensitive data from future quantum-enabled cyberattacks.

“The United States must prioritize quantum technology in order to promote peace through strength,” said Congressman McGuire. “Quantum technology is critical to our national security. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation because it prepares the United States for quantum threats from our foreign adversaries by ensuring our government and industry monitor, evaluate, and act on gaps in our quantum capabilities.”

“The race for quantum supremacy is underway, and the United States cannot afford to fall behind in protecting our nation's most sensitive information," said Congressman Subramanyam. “The Quantum Encryption Readiness and Resilience Act is a vital step towards ensuring our government and private sector are prepared for the quantum era. We must assess our current standing, develop a robust national strategy, and work across the aisle to manage evolving threats.”

While quantum computing promises revolutionary benefits in fields like drug discovery and artificial intelligence, its rapid development also presents significant cybersecurity risks. Unlike conventional computers, quantum computers will possess the capability to break existing encryption standards that currently safeguard vast amounts of sensitive information. Experts warn that unless industries swiftly adopt more robust encryption, malicious actors could leverage quantum technology to compromise financial transactions, defense secrets, and other data vital to national security. Disturbingly, there is already evidence of adversaries collecting and storing encrypted data today, anticipating a future where quantum computers can decrypt it.

Currently, there are no comprehensive assessments detailing the United States government's and American companies' quantum capabilities and readiness relative to other nations. As the global push for advanced quantum computing intensifies, the need for a unified, nationwide strategy for quantum readiness has become paramount.

The Quantum Encryption Readiness and Resilience Act will mandate several crucial actions:

• An assessment of the United States' quantum capabilities and readiness in comparison to other countries.
• Tracking progress in quantum innovation and readiness across both private and public sector entities. 
• Identifying sectors of the economy most vulnerable to advancements in quantum computing.
• The creation of a national plan to mitigate the risks identified by the assessment of the United States' quantum readiness.
• A plan for enhanced information sharing between the private sector and the Federal Government to foster a unified defense. 

“Quantum technology will shape the future of our national security. I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill because it holds our government accountable to protect every American. By demanding regular, clear updates on our progress and risks, we ensure we stay one step ahead of our adversaries and safeguard our nation’s critical infrastructure,” said Congressman Harrigan.

“Quantum computing holds exciting promise, but its potential to break current encryption standards poses a serious national and economic security risk. While agencies like NIST are leading the development of post-quantum cybersecurity tools, we need a full understanding of the scale and urgency of the threat,” said Congresswoman Stevens. “This bipartisan bill ensures the federal government is actively investigating these vulnerabilities and developing mitigation strategies to protect Michigan’s small businesses, manufacturers, and research hubs in the post-quantum era.”

This bipartisan legislation has garnered strong support from key industry stakeholders, including the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, the Quantum Industry Coalition, and the Business Software Alliance, underscoring the broad recognition of the urgent need for quantum cybersecurity preparedness.

“As progress is made in the field of quantum computing, it is essential that the public and private sector move expeditiously to adopt post-quantum cryptographic standards,” said Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium

“Because adversaries are stealing encrypted data now for future decryption by quantum computers, now is the time to move to post-quantum cryptography.  The Quantum Industry Coalition supports this important legislation and applauds Rep. Subramanyam, Rep. McGuire, and Rep. Harrigan for their leadership,” said Paul Stimers, Executive Director of the Quantum Industry Coalition

"BSA supports the development and commercialization of quantum computing, along with prioritizing the upgrade to post-quantum cryptography. This legislation will leverage existing government expertise to assess cybersecurity and national security risks posed by quantum computers and we commend Congressman Subramanyam for his focus on ensuring America continues to lead in research, commercialization and adoption of quantum solutions," said Craig Albright, SVP of US Government Relations at BSA.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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