I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2739 To amend the National Quantum Initiative Act to establish a public-private partnership for near-term quantum application development and accelera- tion, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 20, 2023 Mr. OBERNOLTE (for himself, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. WEBER of Texas, and Mr. HUDSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Science, Space, and Technology A BILL To amend the National Quantum Initiative Act to establish a public-private partnership for near-term quantum ap- plication development and acceleration, 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. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Quantum Sandbox for 4 Near-Term Applications Act of 2023’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds as follows: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2739.IH H2739 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2739 IH (1) The National Quantum Initiative and its 1 ongoing activities explore and promote Quantum In- 2 formation Science. 3 (2) Continual innovation by the quantum indus- 4 try of the United States is critically important. 5 (3) Quantum and quantum-hybrid applications 6 have the ability to provide innovative solutions for 7 near-term use cases across a variety of public and 8 private sector challenges. 9 (4) Many quantum computers are available via 10 the cloud and through a dedicated near-term quan- 11 tum application acceleration program that is inclu- 12 sive of the wide variety of quantum computing tech- 13 nologies will break down barriers to access quantum 14 computing hardware systems. 15 (5) Business and consumers of the United 16 States will be able to see benefits of the innovation 17 through a program focusing on near-term use of the 18 technology. 19 (6) Quantum information science is a 20 foundational technology that is transforming the 21 economy of the 21st century. 22 (7) Robust leadership in quantum research and 23 near-term development will have a great impact on 24 the economic security of the United States. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2739.IH H2739 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2739 IH (8) Unrivaled excellence in workforce develop- 1 ment is key in developing next generation leaders in 2 quantum applications. 3 SEC. 3. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR QUANTUM AP- 4 PLICATION DEVELOPMENT ACCELERATION. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the National Quantum 6 Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8851 et seq.) is amended by add- 7 ing at the end the following: 8 ‘‘SEC. 405. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR QUANTUM 9 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT ACCELERA- 10 TION. 11 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 12 ‘‘(1) QUANTUM APPLICATIONS.—The term 13 ‘quantum applications’ means algorithms and appli- 14 cations which use quantum mechanics through quan- 15 tum processing units. These applications include 16 quantum computing, quantum communication, quan- 17 tum sensing, and quantum-hybrid applications which 18 are applications that use both quantum computing 19 and classical computing hardware systems. 20 ‘‘(2) QUANTUM SANDBOX.—The term ‘quantum 21 sandbox’ means a program— 22 ‘‘(A) for innovation and development of ap- 23 plications using quantum information sciences 24 with a focus on near-term use cases; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2739.IH H2739 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2739 IH ‘‘(B) that can be used to develop and test 1 demonstrations, proofs of concepts, and pilot 2 applications. 3 ‘‘(3) NEAR-TERM USE CASE.—The term ‘near- 4 term use case’ means an application that can be de- 5 veloped and deployed in less than 24 months. 6 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF QUANTUM SANDBOX RE- 7 QUIRED.—The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination 8 with the Director of the National Institute of Standards 9 and Technology, shall establish a quantum sandbox 10 through the establishment of a public-private partnership 11 focused on quantum computing application development 12 acceleration for quantum, quantum communication, quan- 13 tum sensing, and quantum-hybrid computing near-term 14 use cases. 15 ‘‘(c) ENGAGEMENT.—As part of the Program and in 16 carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall, acting 17 through the Director of the National Institute of Stand- 18 ards and Technology, engage with the Quantum Economic 19 Development Consortium, the National Laboratories (as 20 defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 21 U.S.C. 15801)), federally funded research and develop- 22 ment centers, and other members of the United States 23 quantum computing and quantum information eco- 24 system.’’. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2739.IH H2739 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2739 IH (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 1 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8801 2 et seq.) is amended by adding after the item relating to 3 section 404 the following new item: 4 ‘‘Sec. 405. Public-private partnership for quantum application development ac- celeration.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2739.IH H2739 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS