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RELEASE: AS QUANTUM COMPUTING ADVANCES, KHANNA, CONNOLLY, MACE INTRODUCE BILL TO BEEF UP CYBERSECURITY AND CREATE OVERSIGHT

April 18, 2022

Bill text

Endorsers: Google, IBM, PQSecure Technologies, QuSecure, Maybell Quantum, Quantinuum, Qrypt

Washington, D.C. — As the capability of quantum computing advances, Representatives Ro Khanna (D- CA-17), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), and Nancy Mace (R-SC-1) are introducing the bipartisan Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act to ensure that encryption used by the federal government to keep our systems and valuable data safe are quantum proof and establish Congress' oversight role in the process.

There is a race to build a fully capable quantum computer that would be so powerful, it could break encryption and allow adversaries to steal valuable information. It is believed that adversaries are conducting a practice called "steal now, decrypt later" where they collect data to store for years until they possess a powerful enough quantum computer to decrypt it.

To protect our country's data, critical government systems must be secured with algorithms and encryption so difficult to crack that even a future quantum computer won't be able to break the code. This can be done through post-quantum cryptography. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is working on setting these standards and likely will publish those by 2024. Because of stealing now and decrypting later, the federal government must begin planning now for this migration, and Congress should play an oversight role in this process.

"Even though classical computers can't break encryption now, our adversaries can still steal our data in the hopes of decrypting it later. That's why I believe that the federal government must begin strategizing immediately about the best ways to move our encrypted data to algorithms that use post-quantum cryptography," said Rep. Khanna. "I'm a strong supporter of federal funding for quantum computing and believe the technology can one day help us solve many of the world's problems. Like with any new technology, however, we have to plan ahead for potential nefarious uses. A world where all of our encrypted data is exposed would have catastrophic implications for national security and the economy. That's why I'm proud to introduce this legislation with Reps. Connolly and Mace to tackle this before it's too late."

"The future of quantum computing brings with it both significant opportunities and risks. I'm optimistic about the power of quantum computing as part of the new technological frontier, but we must take preemptive steps to ensure bad actors aren't able to use this technology in more sinister ways. Our government must learn from past mistakes and take action now to protect its citizens from future cyber security threats," said Rep. Mace. "This bipartisan legislation will help prompt the federal government to tackle these problems head-on. I'm confident the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will be capable of ensuring Americans are shielded from these threats before there's no going back."

The Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act would:

  • Require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in consultation with the Chief Information Officers Council to prioritize the migration to post-quantum cryptography and do an assessment of critical systems one year after the NIST standards are issued.
  • Instruct the director of OMB to send a report to Congress that includes a strategy on how to address this risk, the funding that might be necessary, and an analysis on the current efforts one year after the bill becomes law.
  • Direct OMB to provide a yearly report to Congress on the progress of the Federal Government in transitioning to post-quantum cryptography standards one year after the NIST standards are issued.

Text of the House bill can be found here.

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