This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to establish or designate an office within the Department of Defense to lead all quantum efforts, covering research, development, and policy. It also creates a subcomponent to liaise with other federal entities pursuing quantum science and technology, and requires triannual national security quantum capability reports to Congress, beginning one year after enactment.
The first report includes a quantum communications annex and a plan with short- and long-term horizons to close gaps with competitors.
At a Glance
What It Does
Establishes the DoD Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition to lead all quantum efforts across the department, including research, development, application, and policy. It also designates a subcomponent within the Office—the Quantum Coordination Office for National Security—to liaise with other agencies and deconflict efforts as needed.
Who It Affects
Directly affects DoD and its research components, other federal agencies engaging in quantum work, and defense contractors and researchers operating in quantum technologies. The arrangement creates a formal ecosystem for cross-agency coordination and security clearances.
Why It Matters
Creates a centralized framework to coordinate quantum activities in national security—crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and for ensuring interoperability and informed decision-making across agencies and partners.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The act mandates that the Secretary of Defense establish or designate a single office to lead all quantum efforts within the Department of Defense. This includes quantum technology research, development, and policy, with the goal of coordinating activities to accelerate practical, real-world capabilities for national security.
The Office is explicitly tasked with building expertise and aligning DoD investments to strengthen U.S. capabilities in quantum sensing, computing, and communications, while pursuing a competitive advantage vis-à-vis other countries.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill requires establishment or designation of the DoD Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition within 180 days.
The Office’s primary mission includes coordinating research, development, and policy to advance national security capabilities in quantum technology.
A subcomponent called the Quantum Coordination Office for National Security will liaise with other federal entities and deconflict efforts when feasible.
The Secretary must submit national security quantum capability reports to Congress at least every three years, beginning one year after enactment, with a first annex on quantum communications.
The initial annex must compare U.S. quantum capabilities with China, Russia, and Iran and outline short-term (2-year) and long-term (10-year+) plans to close gaps and outpace competitors.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Establishment of the Office
Not later than 180 days after enactment, the Secretary of Defense must establish or designate an office within the Department of Defense to serve as the lead for all quantum efforts. The office will oversee quantum technology research, development, and policy, creating a centralized authority to coordinate activities across DoD components.
Designation and Name
The office established or designated is known as the Department of Defense Office of Quantum Capabilities and Competition, a formal centralized unit responsible for driving the department’s quantum agenda and ensuring alignment with national security goals.
Primary Mission
The Office’s core mission is to coordinate, lead, and direct quantum technology efforts across DoD to advance research, develop capabilities, and translate them into real-world national security applications. It also aims to maintain a competitive edge vis-à-vis other nations and to foster practical quantum solutions within the defense ecosystem.
Interagency Coordination
The Secretary, operating through the Office, shall regularly coordinate with heads of other federal departments and agencies involved in quantum science and technology. This ensures alignment, information sharing, and coherence across the federal quantum effort.
Quantum Coordination Office for National Security
Within the Office, a subcomponent shall be established to liaise with and deconflict with other relevant U.S. government entities pursuing quantum initiatives. This unit is designated to streamline cross-agency collaboration while safeguarding national security interests.
Triannual Reports
Starting one year after enactment and at least every three years thereafter, the Secretary must submit to Congress a classified report on national security quantum capabilities and competition. Each report covers the state of DoD quantum efforts, adversary capabilities, and a comparison with other nations, including an assessment of US capabilities relative to China, Russia, and Iran, plus a forward-looking plan to compete.
Protection of National Security
The Secretary must carry out these provisions in line with applicable laws and policies governing classified information and national security, ensuring that sensitive details remain protected while enabling informed oversight.
Rule of Construction
Nothing in this section requires action that would be inconsistent with existing law or policy that was in effect before enactment. This preserves ongoing legal and policy constraints while implementing the new framework.
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Explore Defense in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- The Department of Defense and its research and acquisition ecosystems gain a centralized leadership structure, enabling clearer priorities and faster alignment of quantum investments.
- DoD service components and the military research laboratories benefit from formal guidance, reducing duplication and improving cross-branch coordination on quantum projects.
- Federal agencies engaged in quantum science (e.g., DOE labs, intelligence community components) benefit from a dedicated liaison and a deconflicted path for interagency collaboration.
- Quantum technology researchers and defense contractors gain clearer roadmaps and opportunities to align products and programs with national security objectives.
- Congress committees receive regular, comprehensive, and potentially classified assessments of the United States’ quantum capabilities and competitive position.
Who Bears the Cost
- DoD components may incur transition costs and overhead associated with new governance, reporting requirements, and reallocation of resources toward the Office’s priorities.
- Other federal agencies will face coordination and data-sharing obligations that consume time and administrative resources.
- Defense contractors and suppliers may need to meet enhanced security classifications and compliance standards, increasing contracting complexity and costs.
- Classification and security clearance processes may intensify reporting burdens and handling requirements, raising ongoing compliance costs.
- There could be short-term budgetary pressure associated with standing up the new organizational structure without immediate, explicit funding.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The centralization of national security quantum efforts in a single DoD office aims to accelerate progress and sharpen competition, but it must be balanced against the need for agile cross-agency collaboration and sufficient, predictable funding to avoid bottlenecks and under-resourcing.
The bill creates a centralized office to steer DoD quantum efforts and a dedicated coordination unit for national security purposes. While centralization can reduce fragmentation and improve accountability, it also raises concerns about potential bureaucratic bottlenecks and the risk that interagency collaboration could slow progress if not effectively resourced and empowered.
The statute contemplates coordination with other federal entities but provides limited funding directives, which could impact implementation timelines and the capacity of the new offices to meet ambitious milestones. Because most reporting is classified, oversight will depend on executive-branch and congressional handling of sensitive information, which can affect transparency and accountability.
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