On April 24, 2026, House lawmakers introduced their version of the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act. The bill was led by Representative Randy Weber (R-TX) and cosponsored by Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). Nextgov reported a markup was scheduled for April 29.
The House version coordinates federal quantum activities through the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, directing agencies to identify use cases for quantum technologies and barriers to development and scaling. It reinstates the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee, which lapsed when the original 2018 NQI Act expired in 2023. NIST would be tasked with setting standards for new quantum technologies, including standards related to post-quantum cryptography deployment, and the NIST director would be directed to conduct an analysis to promote PQC standards adoption.
The Senate version of the reauthorization, led by Senators Todd Young and Maria Cantwell, passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee on April 14 with seven amendments. Both bills focus on moving federal quantum efforts from basic research toward applications, manufacturing, and commercialization.