Defense spending related to quantum computing would get boost under two proposed Senate bills
NewsApril 21, 2021
WASHINGTON. Two U.S. senators -- Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and John Thune, R-S.D. -- have sponsored legislation that seeks to direct additional funding to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the further development of quantum computers used in national defense and security.
The bills sponsored by the senators, the "QUANTUM for National Security Act" and the "Quantum Network Infrastructure and Workforce Development Act," would propel DoD research work into the National Quantum Initiative, a program established in 2018 to catalyze quantum research and development. Members of the initiative are currently the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Advanced quantum computers would be a boon to military operations and national security, say legislators, because they could intercept and capture an enemy's communications; the same would be possible for adversaries only if they developed their own quantum computers.
Commenting on the introduction of legislation, Sen. Hassan stated, “Quantum mechanics play a critical role in our national security and economy and will be at the forefront of innovative defense technologies that will help to maintain our military edge over China.”
