I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8303 

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 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 

Mr. LUCAS (for himself and Mr. MCNERNEY) 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 2020’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM USER EXPAN6 SION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRO7 GRAM. 

8 Title IV of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 

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

10 the following: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 403. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM USER EX2 PANSION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

3 PROGRAM. 

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

5 date of the enactment of the QUEST Act of 2020, the 

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

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

8 be known as the ‘Quantum User Expansion for Science 

9 and Technology program’ or ‘QUEST program’) to en10 courage and facilitate access to United States quantum 

11 computing hardware and quantum computing clouds for 

12 research purposes in order to— 

13 ‘‘(1) enhance the United States quantum re14 search enterprise; 

15 ‘‘(2) educate the future quantum computing 

16 workforce; and 

17 ‘‘(3) accelerate the advancement of United 

18 States quantum computing capabilities. 

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

20 Secretary shall— 

21 ‘‘(1) coordinate with— 

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

23 Foundation; 

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

25 of Standards and Technology; 


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1 ‘‘(C) the Chair of the Quantum Informa2 tion Science of the National Science and Tech3 nology Council established under section 

4 103(a); and 

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

6 Economic and Security Implications of Quan7 tum Science; 

8 ‘‘(2) provide researchers based within the 

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

10 States quantum computing resources through a com11 petitive, merit-reviewed process; 

12 ‘‘(3) consider applications from the National 

13 Laboratories, multi-institutional collaborations, insti14 tutions of higher education, industry stakeholders, 

15 and any other entities that the Secretary determines 

16 are appropriate to provide national leadership on 

17 quantum computing related issues; and 

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

19 stakeholders, the user community, and interagency 

20 partners on program development and best manage21 ment practices. 

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

23 Secretary shall leverage resources and expertise across the 

24 Department of Energy and from— 


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

2 Technology; 

3 ‘‘(2) the National Science Foundation; 

4 ‘‘(3) the National Aeronautics and Space Ad5 ministration; 

6 ‘‘(4) other relevant Federal agencies; 

7 ‘‘(5) the National Laboratories; 

8 ‘‘(6) industry stakeholders; 

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

10 ‘‘(8) the National Quantum Information 

11 Science Research Centers. 

12 ‘‘(d) SECURITY.—In carrying out the activities au13 thorized by this section, the Secretary, in consultation 

14 with the Director of the National Science Foundation and 

15 the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 

16 Technology, shall ensure proper security controls are in 

17 place to protect sensitive information, as appropriate. 

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

19 date of the enactment of the QUEST Act of 2020, the 

20 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, 

21 Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 

22 and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 

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

24 activities and any other information the Secretary deter25 mines appropriate. 


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1 ‘‘(f) FUNDING.—Funds authorized to be appro2 priated for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, 

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

4 the activities under this section— 

5 ‘‘(1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 

6 ‘‘(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 

7 ‘‘(3) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 

8 ‘‘(4) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 

9 ‘‘(5) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.’’. 

Æ 


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