The National Quantum Initiative Act is an

Act of Congress An act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called Public and private bills, private laws), or to the general public (Public and private bills, public laws). For a Bill (law) ...

passed on December 13, 2018, and signed into law on December 21, 2018. The law gives the

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a plan for advancing

quantum technology Quantum engineering is the development of technology that capitalizes on the laws of quantum mechanics. This type of engineering uses quantum mechanics to develop technologies such as quantum sensors and quantum computers. Devices that rely on ...

, particularly

quantum computing A quantum computer is a computer that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. On small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of wave-particle duality, both particles and waves, and quantum computing takes advantage of this behavior using s ...

Act

The act was passed unanimously by the

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and was signed into law by

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. The National Quantum Initiative (NQI) provides an umbrella under which a number of government agencies develop and operate programs related to improving the climate for quantum science and technology in the US, coordinated by the National Quantum Coordination Office. These agencies include the

National Institute of Standards and Technology The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into Outline of p ...

(NIST), the

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

(NSF), and the

United States Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and energy production, the research and development of nuclear power, the military's nuclear w ...

(DOE). Under the authority of the NQI, the NSF and the DOE have established new research centers and institutes, and NIST has established the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), a consortium of industrial, academic, and governmental entities.

Recent Developments

In May 2025, U.S. lawmakers introduced the bipartisan ''Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act'' (S.1344), aiming to amend the National Quantum Initiative Act. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a public-private partnership to accelerate the development of near-term quantum applications by creating testbeds—referred to as "quantum sandboxes"—for innovators to test quantum technologies in real-world environments. The initiative focuses on applications that can be developed and deployed within 24 months, with emphasis on sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and healthcare.

Texas Quantum Initiative

In May 2025, the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 4751, establishing the Texas Quantum Initiative. The legislation aims to position Texas as a national leader in quantum technology by fostering advancements in quantum computing, networking, and sensing technologies. The initiative outlines the development of a comprehensive strategic plan, the attraction of quantum projects and partners to Texas, expansion of workforce training opportunities, and support for developing a quantum manufacturing supply chain within the state. An executive committee appointed by the governor will oversee the initiative, and a dedicated fund will be established to support its activities. The bill is scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2025, pending approval by the Texas Senate and the governor.

References

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External links

As codified in 15 U.S.C. chapter 114
of the

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from the LII
As codified in 15 U.S.C. chapter 114
of the

from the

US House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

National Quantum Initiative ActPDFdetails
as amended in the GPObr>Statute Compilations collection

National Quantum Initiative ActPDFdetails
as enacted in the US Statutes at Large Quantum computing Science and technology in the United States 2018 in computing Acts of the 115th United States Congress United States federal computing legislation