A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to conduct an assessment of quantum computing technology to address problems associated with exposure to PFAS, and for other purposes.

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1534 To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct an assessment of quantum computing technology to address problems associated with exposure to PFAS, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 16, 2019 Mr. PETERS (for himself and Ms. ERNST) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct an assess- ment of quantum computing technology to address prob- lems associated with exposure to PFAS, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. ASSESSMENT OF QUANTUM COMPUTING TECH- 3 NOLOGY TO ADDRESS PFAS EXPOSURE. 4 (a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—Not later than one 5 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec- 6 retary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of 7 Defense for Research and Engineering and in consultation 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:43 May 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1534.IS S1534 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 1534 IS with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations, 1 Environment, and Energy, shall complete an assessment 2 of quantum computing and how it may be used to address 3 problems associated with exposure to PFAS. 4 (b) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required by sub- 5 section (a) shall include the following: 6 (1) Analysis of the potential of hybrid quantum 7 classical computing to utilize the unique attributes 8 of such computing for addressing issues of chemical 9 contamination such as that caused by PFAS. 10 (2) Assessment of the potential of quantum 11 computing to address problems of exposure to 12 PFAS, to remediate solutions, and to develop alter- 13 natives to PFAS for materials that otherwise con- 14 tain PFAS. 15 (3) An inventory of the existing and potential 16 work on exposure to PFAS and possible partnership 17 opportunities with academic institutions, private sec- 18 tor technology and chemical companies, and other 19 Federal and State government entities. 20 (4) Assessment of the availability of current 21 and near-term quantum computing resources such 22 as cloud based quantum systems, as well as a road- 23 map for long-term quantum development. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:43 May 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1534.IS S1534 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 1534 IS (5) An assessment of the current quantum com- 1 puting efforts of the Department and how each ex- 2 isting quantum computing effort may assist or serve 3 as a model for the Department. 4 (6) A description of the amount of funding that 5 would be required to take initial steps to leverage 6 near term quantum computing to address problems 7 relating to exposure to PFAS. 8 (c) PFAS DEFINED.—In this section, the term 9 ‘‘PFAS’’ means the group of chemicals known as ‘‘per- 10 and polyfluoroalkyl substances’’. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:43 May 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1534.IS S1534 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS