I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1837 

To establish and support the Quantum User Expansion for Science and 

Technology Program at the Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2021 

Mr. LUCAS (for himself, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. 

WALTZ, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mrs. 

KIM of California, Mr. VALADAO, and Mr. POSEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology 

A BILL 

To establish and support the Quantum User Expansion for 

Science and Technology Program at the Department of 

Energy, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘QUEST Act of 2021’’. 

2 

•HR 1837 IH

1 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM USER EXPAN2 SION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRO3 GRAM. 

4 Title IV of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 

5 U.S.C. 8851 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

6 the following: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 403. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM USER EX8 PANSION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

9 PROGRAM. 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 

11 date of the enactment of the QUEST Act of 2021, the 

12 Secretary of Energy (referred to in this section as the 

13 ‘Secretary’) shall, establish and carry out a program (to 

14 be known as the ‘Quantum User Expansion for Science 

15 and Technology program’ or ‘QUEST program’) to en16 courage and facilitate access to United States quantum 

17 computing hardware and quantum computing clouds for 

18 research purposes in order to— 

19 ‘‘(1) enhance the United States quantum re20 search enterprise; 

21 ‘‘(2) educate the future quantum computing 

22 workforce; and 

23 ‘‘(3) accelerate the advancement of United 

24 States quantum computing capabilities. 

25 ‘‘(b) PROGRAM.—In carrying out this section, the 

26 Secretary shall— 

3 

•HR 1837 IH

1 ‘‘(1) coordinate with— 

2 ‘‘(A) the Director of the National Science 

3 Foundation; 

4 ‘‘(B) the Director of the National Institute 

5 of Standards and Technology; 

6 ‘‘(C) the Chair of the Quantum Informa7 tion Science of the National Science and Tech8 nology Council established under section 

9 103(a); and 

10 ‘‘(D) the Chair of the subcommittee on the 

11 Economic and Security Implications of Quan12 tum Science; 

13 ‘‘(2) provide researchers based within the 

14 United States with access to, and use of, United 

15 States quantum computing resources through a com16 petitive, merit-reviewed process; 

17 ‘‘(3) consider applications from the National 

18 Laboratories, multi-institutional collaborations, insti19 tutions of higher education, industry stakeholders, 

20 and any other entities that the Secretary determines 

21 are appropriate to provide national leadership on 

22 quantum computing related issues; and 

23 ‘‘(4) consult and coordinate with private sector 

24 stakeholders, the user community, and interagency 

4 

•HR 1837 IH

1 partners on program development and best manage2 ment practices. 

3 ‘‘(c) LEVERAGING.—In carrying out this section, the 

4 Secretary shall leverage resources and expertise across the 

5 Department of Energy and from— 

6 ‘‘(1) the National Institute of Standards and 

7 Technology; 

8 ‘‘(2) the National Science Foundation; 

9 ‘‘(3) the National Aeronautics and Space Ad10 ministration; 

11 ‘‘(4) other relevant Federal agencies; 

12 ‘‘(5) the National Laboratories; 

13 ‘‘(6) industry stakeholders; 

14 ‘‘(7) institutions of higher education; and 

15 ‘‘(8) the National Quantum Information 

16 Science Research Centers. 

17 ‘‘(d) SECURITY.—In carrying out the activities au18 thorized by this section, the Secretary, in consultation 

19 with the Director of the National Science Foundation and 

20 the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 

21 Technology, shall ensure proper security controls are in 

22 place to protect sensitive information, as appropriate. 

23 ‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the 

24 date of the enactment of the QUEST Act of 2021, the 

25 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, 

5 

•HR 1837 IH

1 Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 

2 and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 

3 the Senate, a report on the results of the QUEST program 

4 activities and any other information the Secretary deter5 mines appropriate. 

6 ‘‘(f) FUNDING.—Funds authorized to be appro7 priated for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, 

8 there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out 

9 the activities under this section, 

10 ‘‘(1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 

11 ‘‘(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 

12 ‘‘(3) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 

13 ‘‘(4) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and 

14 ‘‘(5) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.’’. 

Æ